Taming Stomach Acid

After lunch you re sitting at your desk with abdominal discomfort. As if there was a balloon in the stomach is deflated and pulled out the gas slowly through your esophagus. Symptoms of bloating is sometimes misinterpreted as heartburn. In fact, it could be your stomach acid levels are on the rise. So, what's the difference? Dr Cicilia Paat, a general practitioner at the health center Kolongan, North Minahasa, North Sulawesi, to explain it to you.

Q. What is a stomach acid?
J. Gastric acid is a liquid in the digestive tract that is formed in the stomach, with pH levels from 1.5 to 3.5 (acidic) consisting of HCl (hydrochloric acid), KCl (potassium chloride) and NaCl (sodium chloride). This acid is used to digest the protein by activating protein digestive enzymes.
   
Stomach acid is needed to help the digestive process. Without stomach acid, food can not be digested properly, so the
nutrients needed by our bodies can not be absorbed properly. Therefore, it is necessary levels of stomach acid balance in the body.

Q. What is the condition of the stomach is healthy?
J. Gastric healthy ie gastric irritation. That is, the gastric fluid containing mucus which is a factor of gastric protection. Instead, the stomach is unhealthy that have undergone gastric irritation or inflammation, so hurt when digesting food.

Q. What happens when stomach acid is interrupted?
J. When excessive stomach acid production, gastric fluid may experience reflux or flow into the esophagus. This condition is known as a popular stomach acid goes up, or the medical term GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease).

Q. What's the difference with ulcer disease?
A. Although the cause is the same, namely that increased levels of stomach acid, GERD is slightly different from ulcer disease, commonly known as gastritis (inflammation of the stomach). GERD usually cause a burning sensation in the chest. Therefore, gastric fluid ride is not only up to the throat, but can be up to the mouth. While ulcer disease or gastric irritation or inflammation, occurs only in the stomach and upper gastrointestinal organs and the abdomen.

Q. What are the symptoms arising from disorders of the stomach?
A. Common symptoms appearing in patients with stomach acid up that great pains in the stomach. Because of the pain, sufferers often feel nausea and dry vomiting, which sometimes causes the throat and mouth feel sore and hot participated.
   
In addition, the chest also feels like a burning hot pain (heartburn). Sometimes, the pain is also felt like pressure, so it is often mistaken for heart pain (heart attack). These symptoms usually felt after a patient when the patient is eating and sleeping. Other symptoms are difficulty in swallowing, frequent belching, chronic cough, and sore throat.

Q. What causes a person to suffer from stomach acid?
A. Each person has a different sensitivity of gastric acid, depending on diet and lifestyle. GERD knows no age groups and can strike anyone. But, most suffered by those aged 30-40 years. Along with age, the production of saliva (saliva) which can help neutralizing pH levels in the esophagus (gullet) will also be reduced.

Q. What kind of lifestyle can trigger acid reflux?
J. Smoking not only damages the lungs, but any organ in the body, including the stomach. So, of course, smoking can worsen the condition of someone who already has a gastric problem. Moreover, it is often too late to eat, eat excessive amounts, eating while lying down, or sleeping less than 2-3 hours after meals, can also trigger stomach acid disorders.