{"id":6075,"date":"2019-09-18T09:51:46","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T09:51:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reliablerxpharmacy.com\/blog\/?p=6075"},"modified":"2021-03-31T07:31:37","modified_gmt":"2021-03-31T07:31:37","slug":"does-alcohol-cause-acid-reflux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reliablerxpharmacy.com\/blog\/does-alcohol-cause-acid-reflux\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Alcohol Cause Acid Reflux?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Drinking even a little alcohol can\nmake your stomach produce more acid than usual, which can cause\ngastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Treatment for GERD<\/a><\/strong>\nvaries and depends on how severe symptoms are. Lifestyle changes and medicines\ncan help ease the side effects of\nalcohol on the stomach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most medical professionals agree that\nalcohol increases the risk for acid reflux and advise no to drink too much. However,\na direct link between alcohol consumption and acid reflux has not been\nestablished in the research studies, and there are mixed results. In general,\nit is wise to stay away from excessive drinking because it can cause extensive\ndamage to the body. Keep on reading to know about how alcohol triggers acid\nreflux?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who like to drink after a\ntiring day at the workplace or those who cannot imagine a hot sunny day without\na chilled beer in their hands, the idea of giving up alcohol can be\nchallenging. But it is important to get aware of the fact that alcohol is a\ncommon trigger for acid reflux. While alcohol doesn\u2019t bring acid reflux in\neveryone., it can worsen the symptoms in those who already have this stomach\nissue. Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when the\nstomach acid starts moving backward from the stomach into the esophagus. If\nstomach acid travels to locations where it should not be, or if it is\noverproduced, one can start experience symptoms of GERD. Common symptoms of\nGERD are burning in the chest, cough, chest pain, difficulty swallowing,\nburping and disrupted sleep. Stomach acid plays a vital role in providing\nnutrition to the body. It helps digest and absorbs nutrients from the food.\nAlcohol can aggravate these symptoms of GERD. If any of these symptoms trouble\nyou to an extended period, fix an appointment with your primary health care\nprovider. A health care professional can diagnose GERD and help you get rid of\nthe condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Side Effects of alcohol<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The association between alcohol\nconsumption and GERD has not been established yet, but medical professionals\nbelieve that alcohol can cause an inflammation of the stomach lining, or damage\nlower esophageal sphincter (LES). Although lots of different things may\ncontribute to health complications, experts believe the improper function of\nLES is one of the major causes of\nGERD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alcohol is thought to be an irritant\nto the lining of the stomach, which causes swelling and redness. In some case,\nthis type of damage is a result of an infection, but the use of excessive\nalcohol can make it, and it can be called as mechanical damage. Chronic\nalcohol consumption causes long term inflammation, which is a risk factor for\ntissue damage, ultimately leading to a certain type of cancers, cell death, or\nautoimmune disease. Cell death is not life-threatening as cells die every in\nour body, but chronic inflammation makes it difficult for them to replace by\nthe new ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alcohol can also weaken or damage the\nLES. The esophagus is a tube-like structure which leads from the mouth to the\nstomach. Several muscles play a role in pushing food down from the oesophagus,\nbut the mixture of food and acid should not travel back in our esophagus;\notherwise, it may lead to vomiting. LES is a muscle present at the junction of\nyour esophagus and stomach. According to some research studies, alcohol impairs\nthe function of LES, reduces its ability to contract or close which is the\nprimary cause of bringing back the swallowed food into the mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The side effects of alcohol have not finished here. Barett\u2019sesophagus\nis a rare condition but severe symptoms of GERD. Drinking too much can worsen\nBarett\u2019sesophagus. The rare disorder of esophagus changes the cells of the\nlower esophagus. The condition is a great risk factor for esophageal cancer. If\nyou drink alcohol and even though you suffer from Barrett\u2019s esophagus, you may\nbe putting yourself at the risk of esophageal cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also\nRead: No more heartburn: how to control acid reflux<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect your stomach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might have heard about several\nsuggestions for how to avoid an upset stomach, ease the side effects of alcohol on your stomach. Some of these include not\nmixing drinks, not mixing pain killers, eating tips, drinking plenty of water,\netc. Let\u2019s check out if any of these words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n