ACIDITY

What is ACIDITY?
The stomach normally secretes acid that is essential in the digestive process. This acid helps in breaking down the food during digestion. When there is excess production of acid by the gastric glands of the stomach, it results in the condition known as acidity. Dyspepsia, heartburn and the formation of ulcers are some of the symptoms. It is more common in highly emotional and nervous individuals.

Most acidity problems occur

1.After meals
2.When lifting weight or straining and applying pressure in the intra-abdominal area.
3.At night when lying down.
4.Ulcers also occur as a result of over secretion of acid.

Home Remedies for Acidity

Tip 1:After all three meals, take a small piece of jaggery and keep it in your mouth and suck. no more acidity.

Tip 2: Boil one cup of water. To this add 1 tsp of Aniseed (Saunf). Cover and leave overnight. Strain the water in the morning, add 1 tsp of honey. When this is taken 3 times a day it prevents acidity.

Tip 3: To 1 ½ liters of water add 1 tsp caraway seeds (shah jeera).Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Sip while warm. Have the concoction 2-3 times a day for 5-6 days.

Tip 4: Powder one clove and one cardamom; use the powder as a mouth freshener after every meal. No more acidity and no more bad breath.


What are the causes of acidity?

A weakness of the valve between the stomach and oesophagus (food pipe) can cause a reflux of the acid from the stomach to the lower part of the oesophagus. This gastro-oesophageal reflux can cause heart-burn. Sometimes, a heavy meal or increase in intra-abdominal pressure such as while straining or lifting weights, can bring about this reflux. Excess acid secretion can also cause acidity and ulcers, when the normal protective lining of the stomach and duodenum (the part of the intestine that joins the stomach), is damaged.

The resulting ulcer is called gastric ulcer if it is in the stomach and duodenal ulcer if it is in the duodenum. In a condition known as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, a large amount of acid is secreted because of stimulation by tumours located in the pancreas or duodenum. Any kind of break down in the defense mechanisms that protect the stomach and intestine from damage by acid can cause acidity. The body secretes bicarbonate into the mucous layer, which neutralises the acid. Hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins, help to keep the blood vessels in the stomach dilated, ensuring adequate blood flow.

Lack of adequate blood flow to the stomach may contribute to ulcers. Prostaglandins are also believed to stimulate bicarbonate and mucous production, which help protect the stomach. Consumption of alcohol, highly spicy foodstuffs, irregular food habits, and Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) also predispose to gastric acidity. There is a higher incidence of acidity in highly emotional and nervous individuals. It is also more common in the developed and industrialized nations, though a recent increase in incidence has also occurred in the developing countries

What are the symptoms of acidity?

The main symptoms of acidity are Heartburn and Dyspepsia.
Heartburn is characterized by a deeply placed, burning pain in the chest behind the sternum (breast-bone). It occurs after meals and is precipitated by increase in intra-abdominal pressure like straining or lifting weights. It is more common at night when a person is lying down. Heartburn is usually relieved when the person sits up. Regurgitation of the gastric contents may also occur.

The symptoms of ulcers are mainly pain that can be either localized or diffuse. Sometimes it radiates to the back or to the chest.Dyspepsia is a burning or an aching pain in the upper abdomen, sometimes described as a stabbing sensation penetrating through the gut. In rare cases there may be no pain, but only a feeling of indigestion, fullness, bloating, flatulence or nausea. When the cause is a duodenal ulcer, having a meal usually relieves the pain. But in the case of a gastric ulcer there may be no change, or the pain may become worse after eating. Peptic ulcer disease can sometimes occur without symptoms. Symptoms may also arise when there is no ulcer present, which is known as non-ulcer dyspepsia.