Acid Reflux Wedge Pillow - Can Something This Simple Help Me Sleep?

Doctors recommend sleeping at an incline to help prevent nighttime pain caused by acid reflux. Can something as simple as an Acid Reflux Wedge Pillow help?

Over 80 million people in the United States currently suffer from acid reflux. It is a serious condition in which the gastric acid flows back from the stomach into the upper intestines and esophagus. It can damage the esophagus and cause extreme pain to the sufferer.

Fortunately, there have been many developments in the treatment of acid reflux. Prescription medications are often able to control the symptoms. However, many people are still suffering at night while lying in bed.

When lying flat, the gastric acid in the stomach flows more easily into the esophagus. This acid doesn’t have to fight with gravity, and this is why the pain is often intensified at night. Doctors recommend sleeping at an incline to help prevent this nighttime pain caused by acid reflux.

Positional therapy, as it is more often known, is used to control the symptoms of acid reflux. When the head and shoulders are elevated, it is more difficult for the acid to reach the esophagus. However, if this incline is not executed properly, additional pain of the lower back may be experienced.

Luckily, there are many products that can help with attaining the correct inclination. The most common is an acid reflux wedge pillow. An acid reflux wedge pillow is designed to position the patient in a way that elevates the head and neck just enough to keep stomach acid down without causing discomfort.

Acid reflux pillows are available in several different materials, shapes, and sizes. Most commonly, foam pillows in wedged shapes are used. They can also be found in soft plastic or inflatable varieties. You can even find acid reflux pillows with allergen barriers for those who suffer from allergies. Look for a pillow that allows for adjustability. You want to be able to customize the pillow for your specific needs.

One of the major benefits of using an acid reflux wedge pillow is that there are no risks or side effects. Prescription medication can often cause unwanted side effects or long-term complications. Although it may be necessary in some cases, if you want to try something else before taking that route, an acid reflux wedge pillow might do the trick.

These special pillows are recommended by doctors around the country. They are a simple solution to a sometimes overwhelming pain. By simply elevating your upper body at the correct angle, you will experience a significant reduction, or even disappearance of acid reflux pain.

Sleeping in a new position may take some getting used to, but the comfort you’ll feel will be worth it. Sleeping through the night at a slight incline certainly seems better than lying flat all night, awake and in pain.

A combination treatment of prescription medication, healthy lifestyle changes, and use of an acid reflux wedge pillow can certainly change your life forever. However, if you continue to experience severe symptoms, even after trying these treatments

, contact your doctor immediately. This could be an indication of more serious problems.

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about the author

Dianna Yvonne Smith is a consultant and expert in several areas of internet marketing. She has published articles and e-books in the family, home, fitness, business and cooking categories. To learn much more about  acid reflux wedge pillow
visit http://www.AcidRefluxExplained.com

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Can Stress Cause Acid Reflux?

Acid Reflux is one of the very most common complaints, affecting just about everyone at some time or another. Also known as GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), this is something familiar to all of us as heartburn. The characteristic symptoms of Acid Reflux are due to stomach acids making their way into the esophagus; the name “heartburn” is due to the pain of Acid Reflux that is usually felt in the center of the chest.

There are a number of different things which can trigger Acid Reflux. Many find that they are prone to having symptoms after eating certain foods, especially acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits. Fried foods are also believed by many to cause Acid Reflux. But can stress cause Acid Reflux? The general consensus is yes; and there are few of us who have not experienced the symptoms of Acid Reflux at a time of especially acute stress. However, the truth of the matter is a little more complex.

While most people would answer yes if asked “can stress cause acid reflux?”, it happens that stress does not actually cause Acid Reflux, per se. However, stress can be an aggravating factor which can make the symptoms of Acid Reflux seem far worse than they are. We all know how stress has a way of intensifying unpleasant sensations – and this is certainly true of heartburn.

It is believed by many that stress can be a contributing factor to Acid Reflux; part of the reason why we seem more prone to heartburn at times of stress is that we also tend to eat for comfort as a response to heightened stress levels. What’s more, the foods we tend to turn to for comfort are often those which are known to be common triggers for Acid Reflux. Along with our heightened sensitivity at times of stress, we’re more likely to have an attack of Acid Reflux – and it will seem even worse than it would otherwise.

Studies have shown that relaxation techniques can help to reduce the severity of Acid Reflux symptoms. When you are experiencing a high stress level, try breathing techniques and exercise in order to take your mind off of your stress – this will help to alleviate your Acid Reflux symptoms somewhat. Walking is an especially good exercise in these cases. Keeping an upright posture is a good way to keep stomach acids from infiltrating the esophagus and causing heartburn – and walking can also be very relaxing in and of itself.

By keeping an eye on what you eat and using stress reduction techniques, you can reduce both the severity and the frequency of your Acid Reflux symptoms. Remember; the answer to can stress cause acid reflux? Is no – but stress can make your Acid Reflux symptoms a lot worse than they would be otherwise and that some of the ways that people cope with stress can also lead to heartburn.

Gastrointestinal Medicine

By: Dianna Y Smith

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Dianna Yvonne Smith is a consultant and expert in several areas of internet marketing. She has published articles and e-books in the family, home, fitness business and cooking categories. To learn much more about Can Stress Cause Acid Reflux, visit www.AcidRefluxExplained.com

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