Signs and Symptoms of Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is fairly common in all age groups. It is the process of stomach contents bubbling up in the esophagus and throat, leaving a bad taste in the mouth and a burning feeling in the chest. Almost everyone has experienced this condition when they overdid their love for their favorite food and had a tough time keeping it all down.
Other than burning sensations, there are many more symptoms of acid reflux which are unusual and problematic. Following are a few signs that are commonly observed. Most people do not know that they are results of acid reflux.
Over salivation
Experts believe that if your mouth gets full of saliva after a meal, so much so that you cannot keep it inside, it’s a clear sign of acid reflux. This is because of the same reason it happens before throwing up. Salivary glands produce excess saliva when they detect something in the esophagus, in order to flush it out. Over salivation happens in preparation for what is about to come up to the mouth and, in case of acid reflux, it’s the stomach contents that are on their way.
Pneumonia
When stomach acid is traveling upwards, it can enter the lungs and create a big problem like pneumonia. If a person has pneumonia more than once without any explanation, it might be because of acid reflux. This point might come as a surprise but it is possible and has been reported in many cases.
Chest pain
Quite often, people confuse their acidity with a heart attack. However, this could be true. Acid reflux is capable of causing chest pain which gets extremely severe and feels like a heart attack. There have been enough cases where people went to thinking that they were dying, while they were simply suffering from acid reflux. Similarly, there have been reverse cases, where people believed they were having a bout of acidity, while in reality, it was a heart attack.
Bitter taste
If you bend over to pick up something and feel a bitter taste in your mouth, you just had an episode of acid reflux, wherein the juices from the stomach traveled back to the mouth.
Asthma
Acid reflux is capable of causing conditions like asthma. When the acid travels in the wrong direction, it can enter the esophagus and create wheezing and irritation. Most people with acid reflux report that this problem gets worse at night. If the acid enters the airways, it can also result in choking and breathlessness.
Difficulty in swallowing
Acid reflux causes scarring and narrowing of the throat over time. This leads to difficulty in swallowing food. In fact, the process of swallowing becomes extremely painful and feels like the food is digging down the throat on its way to the stomach. Eating becomes a painful procedure with acid reflux.
Acid reflux is a common and not-so-dangerous health problem, but if it goes untreated for a long time, it is capable of creating health problems that both nasty and dangerous.
