Acid Reflux LPRThe term laryngopharyngeal reflux or in other words Acid Reflux LPR means the back flow of stomach contents into the esophagus. Along with the stomach contents, there is also a backflow of acids that are produced in the stomach. When these acids enter the throat, they might cause great damage to the larynx. The symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux are continuous throat clearing, chronic throat irritation, cough, any sort of throat allergy, excessive mucous in the throat, difficulty in swallowing, i.e. swallowed food comes back up, post nasal drainage, headaches, cracking voice, blockage of the breathing passage, spasm of larynx, wheezing and heartburn. The heartburn type varies from person to person. There are several causes of acid reflux that are very common. One needs to find out what these are in order to bring about a change in the lifestyle, so that acid reflux can be prevented. Some food products that cause acid reflux are coffee and tea, chocolate, fried and fatty foods, tomatoes and tomato based products, alcohol, tobacco and citrus juices. Lying down with a full stomach can also cause acid reflux. Pregnant women can also suffer from acid reflux. It is estimated that about 80 percent of women in pregnancy have these symptoms that vary from mild to very severe. Nausea and vomiting occurs in the first phase of pregnancy. This is due to the rising level of female hormone. Acid reflux symptoms occur towards the last phase of pregnancy. The uterus increases in size and is pushed up towards the diaphragm that cause acid reflux. In addition to this, weight gain during pregnancy also can be one of the causes. The weight settles around the waist which presses the abdomen and pushes the food up the esophagus. In fact weight gain in body can be one of the major causes of acid reflux. Information about weight control and a planned diet should be obtained from the doctor and dietician. The things that are to be done to prevent acid reflux are a bit of a change in the lifestyle. Smoking and drinks such as alcohol, caffeine, cola beverages and citrus beverages should be avoided. One should not wear very tight fitting garments around the waist. Very large meal should be avoided at night. Or care should be taken that the meal should be taken at least 2 to 3 hours before bed time. Four types of treatments are recommended for acid reflux. First and foremost is posture changes and weight reduction. Next step is diet modification. Then medicines are provided to reduce the stomach acids. Surgery is recommended to those who cannot take medicines. Tightening of the lower esophageal sphincter is done to prevent the backflow of acids. With the increase of work pressure and tension arising from it, Acid Reflux LPR is quite common in people nowadays. It is also prevalent in school going kids. But a long term medication process and a dietary change can cause some relief. |