Acid
Reflux Pain: The Cause of Your Discomfort
The acid in your stomach is what causes
acid reflux pain. Stomach acid is there to digest
food. While your stomach’s healthy lining can
tolerate stomach acid, your esophagus cannot. Therefore,
when acid travels from your stomach to your esophagus,
it causes a painful burning sensation, usually in
the center of the chest (also known as heartburn).
Acid
reflux pain, however, is not limited to your chest.
Acid reflux pain can occur anywhere from your abdomen
to your throat. Each patient experiences acid reflux
pain a little differently, but if you have acid reflux,
you may notice acid reflux pain in the following areas:
- Chronic
sore throat
- Regurgitation
of acid in the throat
- Painful
swallowing
- Nighttime
chest pain
- Upper
abdomen pain
- Nausea
and vomiting
- Chronic
coughing
Occasional
heartburn is normal, but if symptoms occur two or
more days per week, it’s a sign that you have
acid reflux pain and therefore, acid reflux disease.
Over time, if the acid continues to travel up into
the esophagus, the esophagus will become irritated,
worn, or eroded, causing more acid reflux pain and
possibly other complications. While you may believe
that chest pain is actually acid reflux pain, persistent
chest pain should not be ignored as it may indicate
a life-threatening problem.
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