It feels like a burning pain in the lower chest area.

It is often worse after eating, in the evening or when lying down or bending over. Sometimes it can even cause a bitter or acidic taste in your mouth. For the millions of people globally who suffer from acid reflux, these symptoms will sound all too familiar.

Acid reflux is a common condition that features a burning pain, known as heartburn, in the chest area just behind your breastbone. It happens when stomach contents, which includes food and acidic digestive juices, escape upwards into the gullet or oesophagus.

ALSO READ: 12 Steps to avoiding heartburn

While occasional heartburn is no cause for alarm, what is alarming is that the number of people who experience acid reflux at least once a week has gone up by nearly 50 percent.

A study conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology back in 2011 found that the number of people who experienced the symptoms of acid reflux at least once a week had risen by 47 percent over the previous decade, and that this was apparent in both men and women and across all ages, although middle age appeared to be when the most severe symptoms occurred.

One of the main reasons for this overall increase could be most likely related to the increase in people being overweight and obese.

Besides being overweight, other risk factors include smoking, low levels of physical exercise and the use of certain medications which include, amongst others, anti-depressants and some painkillers. Foods that exacerbate acid reflux include caffeine, alcohol, a high intake of salt, a low fibre diet, eating large meals, lying down within a few hours of eating a meal and consuming chocolate, carbonated drinks, and acidic juices. Pregnancy can also cause acid reflux.

In fact, heartburn can affect up to 85 percent of pregnant women, with many women experiencing heartburn during all three trimesters. The increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy causes the valve between the stomach and the oesophagus to relax which allows stomach acid to pass into the oesophagus and irritate the lining, causing the burning sensation.

As people get older, they are also more likely to suffer from an increased incidence of acid reflux. This is because as you age, your muscles weaken, including the lower oesophageal sphincter which controls the opening between the oesophagus and the stomach.

Fortunately, most people can manage the discomfort of heartburn with lifestyle changes and over the counter medications.

One of the most effective ways to treat acid reflux is to avoid the foods and beverages that trigger symptoms. This includes eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day and potentially changing the types of foods you are eating, quitting smoking, raising your pillow when lying down, eating at least two to three hours before sleeping, and most importantly, if you are overweight, taking steps to lose weight and include diet and exercise changes.

References:

1.       Medical News Today. What is Acid Reflux (2017) at https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146619#risk-factors (website accessed on 23 March 2020)

2.       Mayo Clinic. Heartburn (2018) at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heartburn/symptoms-causes/syc-20373223 (website accessed on 23 March 2020)

3.       American Colllege of Gatroenterology. Overview (2020) at https://gi.org/topics/acid-reflux/#tabs2 (Website accessed on 23 March 2020)

1. Medical News Today. Acid Reflux 50% More Common Than Ten Years Ago (2011) at https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/239665#1 (Website accessed on 23 March 2020)
2. World Health Organisation (WHO). Obesity and Overweight (2020) at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight (website accessed on 24 March 2020)
3. Web MD. What is Acid Reflux Disease (2019) at https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/guide/what-is-acid-reflux-disease#1(Website accessed on 23 March 2020)
4. Lindow, SW. An open-label, multicenter study to assess the safety and efficacy of a novel reflux suppressant in the treatment of heartburn during pregnancy. Int J Clin Pract. 2003 Apr;57(3):175-9.
5. Meteerattanapipat, P. and Phupong, V. Efficacy of alginate-based reflux suppressant and magnesium aluminium antacid gel for treatment of heartburn in pregnancy: a randomized double-blind controlled trial. Sci. Rep. 7, 44830; doi: 10.1038/srep44830 (2017).
6. American Pregnancy Association. Heartburn during pregnancy – Causes and treatment (2015) at https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/heartburn-during-pregnancy/. (Website accessed on 7 September 2019)
7. Cleveland Clinic. Why does heartburn get worse as you age (2018) at https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-does-heartburn-get-worse-as-you-age/ (Website accessed on 7 September 2019)
8. Gelusil Plus approved package insert, August 2015
9. Gelusil S approved package insert, March 2017

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