I was hospitalized in June, I was feeling tightness in my chest and burning as well. I was diagnosed with Acid Reflux and I was wondering if anyone ever had it and what did you take to help. I’m particularly interested in natural alternatives.

I’ve been having difficulty swallowing and went to see an ENT. Apparently, I have acid reflux. I’m just wondering how, exactly, this causes difficulty swallowing? I should have asked my doctor but I guess I was so preoccupied I forgot to ask.

What is acid reflux and why does it hurt so badly? You might be asking this question if you suffer from heartburn or other symptoms of acid reflux. Acid reflux is sometimes referred to as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). The symptoms of acid reflux can be confused with gas or even a heart attack. The symptoms can be mild to quite painful, and sometimes difficult to recognize.
Acid reflux is not gas. Gas, when it feels like it is in the chest, is actually excess air that has been swallowed and is trapped in the esophagus. Excess air can be swallowed while eating, drinking, or smoking. Some people with loose dentures will swallow excess air as well. This type of gas, as opposed to gas caused from food in the stomach and intestines, is released when you burp, or belch.
Heartburn is the most common symptoms of acid reflux. Heartburn feels like a burning sensation in the chest and can be mild or it can be very painful. Some other common symptoms of acid reflux are nausea and vomiting, and regurgitation. Some more serious symptoms of acid reflux can include coughing and wheezing, the feeling like something is caught in the throat or a choking feeling, ulcers in the esophagus that can lead to strictures (scar tissue), inflammation of the esophagus and throat, and even inflammation of the lungs.
What is acid reflux caused by? Acid and pepsin is produced in the stomach to digest food. With acid reflux, these acids will be forced up (reflux) into the esophagus. Acid reflux has several causes. Often the stomach is just too slow to digest the foods we eat. When this happens, the stomach makes more acid to try to digest what is left. Soon there is too much acid in the stomach and there is no place for the acid to go except back up into the esophagus, causing symptoms like heartburn.
Another common cause is when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close as it should in order to hold down the liquids in the stomach. The LES is a muscle that surrounds the lower portion of the esophagus where it meets up with the stomach. The LES, when functioning properly, will contract and relax. It relaxes when we swallow something, like food, drink or saliva, and then contracts immediately to keep it down. When it is not working properly and the liquid refluxes, this causes symptoms of acid reflux.
A hiatal hernia can be the cause of acid reflux, or it may be the result of acid reflux. This is not known for sure. A hiatal hernia happens when the stomach muscle weakens and pushes up into the esophagus, resulting in the LES being pushed up into the esophagus and becoming unable to do its job
What is acid reflux and how can I stop it? Acid reflux is a very common occurrence and most people will get it at some point in their lives. An antacid should take care of mild symptoms, but if your acid reflux is chronic and cannot be taken care of with antacid, speak to your physician about your symptoms of acid reflux.

My son has been on Similac formula sensative rice added, and we recently changed back to more regular Dr. BC said it still has not make a big difference anyway. I wondered when I start giving cereals and other solids that help your acid reflux?

And acquaintence of mine claims that someone he knew died of complications related to Acid Reflux disease? It seems absurd to me. How is this possible? Even if it is, wouldn’t the symptoms before actual death be so severe that the person would seek out an emergency room, before the disease became lethal???

Like i have had this wierd sentation in a small area above my left nipple. It isn’t that bad because it dosen’t distract me from my day but when im just sitting there bored, i can feel it. And when i push or rub against it it feels alittle tight so i was wondering if this is acid reflux disease or if it isn’t what does it feel like?

My daughter has acid reflux and often keep their food down. She spits evrything and the only way I've found to feed her is to keep her seated and fed. She has everything you spit so far.

I began to suffer from acid reflux symptoms in the week after Thanksgiving. On 21 December, I went to a doctor and gave me Prevacid. I've been taking it since then. I started feeling much better a week after you start taking the medication, but my symptoms are not all the way gone. Sometimes I still feel I have a lump on the back of the throat and I burp a lot. Occasionally I'm a little nauseous. How long usually take to recover from acid reflux, or do you recover at all? And when I run out of medicine, I must be good then, or I need more? I have enough for a month and a half. I have plans to return for a checkup later this month, as well as my doctor asked me.

My 2 months old baby has acid reflux. He is on Prevacid and Mylanta. I burp and keep its vertical position during 30 minutes after each meal. Question for all parents whose babies have acid reflux: How long did it take your baby to get rid of your acid reflux?