Tag: Gastroesophageal reflux disease

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Ailmemts & Remedies

Achalasia

Other Name : Esophageal achalasia

Definition:
Achalasia is a disorder of the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach (esophagus), which affects the ability of the esophagus to move food toward the stomach.

Click to see Achalasia Image

At first it may only cause a minor problem, and often goes unnoticed. However, over time someone with achalasia finds it increasingly difficult to swallow food and liquid.

This is because the muscles in the oesophagus (gullet) which move foods and liquids into the stomach stop working properly. This leads to the oesophagus dilating, or stretching, which may lead to choking or coughing fits at night, triggered by food or liquids being regurgitated when a sufferer lies down at night.

Signs and symptoms:
The main symptoms of achalasia are dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing) and regurgitation of undigested food. Dysphagia tends to become progressively worse over time and to involve both fluids and solids.

•Backflow (regurgitation) of food
•Chest pain, which may increase after eating or may be felt in the back, neck, and arms
•Cough
•Difficulty swallowing liquids and solids
•Heartburn
•Unintentional weight loss

Causes:
A muscular ring at the point where the esophagus and stomach come together (lower esophageal sphincter) normally relaxes during swallowing. In people with achalasia, this muscle ring does not relax as well. The reason for this problem is damage to the nerves of the esophagus.

Cancer of the esophagus or upper stomach and a parasite infection that causes Chagas disease may have symptoms like those of achalasia.

Achalasia is a rare disorder. It may occur at any age, but is most common in middle-aged or older adults. This problem may be inherited in some people.

Diagnosis:
Due to the similarity of symptoms, achalasia can be mistaken for more common disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatus hernia, and even psychosomatic disorders. Specific tests for achalasia are barium swallow and esophageal manometry. In addition, endoscopy of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (esophagogastroduodenoscopy or EGD), with or without endoscopic ultrasound, is typically performed to rule out the possibility of cancer. The internal tissue of the esophagus generally appears normal in endoscopy, although a “pop” may be observed as the scope is passed through the non-relaxing lower esophageal sphincter with some difficulty, and food debris may be found above the LES.

Barium swallow:..CLICK & SEE
The patient swallows a barium solution, with continuous fluoroscopy (X-ray recording) to observe the flow of the fluid through the esophagus. Normal peristaltic movement of the esophagus is not seen. There is acute tapering at the lower esophageal sphincter and narrowing at the gastro-esophageal junction, producing a “bird’s beak” or “rat’s tail” appearance. The esophagus above the narrowing is often dilated (enlarged) to varying degrees as the esophagus is gradually stretched over time.[4] An air-fluid margin is often seen over the barium column due to the lack of peristalsis. A five-minute timed barium swallow can provide a useful benchmark to measure the effectiveness of treatment.

Esophageal manometry:  CLICK & SEE THE PICTURE
Because of its sensitivity, manometry (esophageal motility study) is considered the key test for establishing the diagnosis. A thin tube is inserted through the nose, and the patient is instructed to swallow several times. The probe measures muscle contractions in different parts of the esophagus during the act of swallowing. Manometry reveals failure of the LES to relax with swallowing and lack of functional peristalsis in the smooth muscle esophagus.

Biopsy:
Biopsy, the removal of a tissue sample during endoscopy, is not typically necessary in achalasia, but if performed shows hypertrophied musculature and absence of certain nerve cells of the myenteric plexus, a network of nerve fibers that controls esophageal peristalsis

Treatment:
The approach to treatment is to reduce the pressure at the lower esophageal sphincter. Therapy may involve:

•Injection with botulinum toxin (Botox). This may help relax the sphincter muscles, but any benefit wears off within a matter of weeks or months.
•Medications, such as long-acting nitrates or calcium channel blockers, which can be used to relax the lower esophagus sphincter
•Surgery (called an esophagomyotomy), which may be needed to decrease the pressure in the lower sphincter. Click to see the pictures:
•Widening (dilation) of the esophagus at the location of the narrowing (done during esophagogastroduodenoscopy)
Your doctor can help you decide which treatment is best for your situation.

Alternative medicine:
Temporary improvement of achalasia symptoms in some cases has been reported with acupuncture


Possible Complications:
•Backflow (regurgitation) of acid or food from the stomach into the esophagus (reflux)
•Breathing food contents into the lungs, which can cause pneumonia
•Tearing (perforation) of the esophagus.

Prognosis: The outcomes of surgery and nonsurgical treatments are similar. Sometimes more than one treatment is necessary.

Lifestyle changes:
Both before and after treatment, achalasia patients may need to eat slowly, chew very well, drink plenty of water with meals, and avoid eating near bedtime. Raising the head of the bed or sleeping with a wedge pillow promotes emptying of the esophagus by gravity. After surgery or pneumatic dilatation, proton pump inhibitors can help prevent reflux damage by inhibiting gastric acid secretion; and foods that can aggravate reflux, including ketchup, citrus, chocolate, alcohol, and caffeine, may need to be avoided.

Prevention:
Many of the causes of achalasia are not preventable. However, treatment of the disorder may help to prevent complications.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/achalasia.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achalasia
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000267.htm

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Healthy Tips

Regular Moderate Exercise can cut the Risk of Acid Reflux

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For people with chronic heartburn, too much running and jumping can induce acid reflux. However, the right type of exercise may actually improve the condition.

CLICK & SEE

Short bouts of fairly moderate exercise at least a couple of times a week can cut the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, in part because it reduces body mass index.

The New York Times reports:

“The specific exercise is crucial. Scientists found that aerobic exercises with the highest ‘agitation of the body,’ like vigorous running, consistently induced acid reflux, even in people who did not have chronic heartburn …

Another factor is body position. Bench presses, leg curls or any other exercise that involves lying flat sharply raise the risk of acid reflux.”

What Types of Activities Make Heartburn Worse?
As you might suspect, vigorous jumping, bouncing, running and other activities that cause agitation of your body can make heartburn worse, simply because it makes it easier for your stomach acid to move into your esophagus. For this reason, vigorous aerobics and other agitating exercise routines may exacerbate your symptoms, especially if you eat within two hours of your workout.

That said, heartburn also tends to flare up during other routine activities as well, such as:

•After eating a heavy meal
•Bending over
•Lifting
•Lying down, especially when laying on your back
If you know you have GERD, or even if you suffer from heartburn only occasionally, it makes sense to limit these activities, especially shortly after eating, or at least tailor them so they’re less likely to cause a problem.

For instance, by eating smaller portions at your meals it can help you to avoid overeating, which is a major trigger for heartburn. Likewise, if you wait two or three hours after dinner before lying down in bed, it will also give you some relief.

When you do lie down, elevating the head of your bed may make you more comfortable, as can squatting down when you need to pick something up (instead of bending over).

And just as you can modify these common activities so they don’t make your heartburn worse, you can modify your exercise program to follow suit as well.


But at the same time Exercise is Essential, Even if You Have Heartburn

One of my top recommendations for treating heartburn and GERD is to implement an exercise program.

Physical activity is an important way to improve your body’s immune system, which is imperative to fight off all kinds of infections. What does this have to do with GERD?

Source: New York Times July 26, 2010

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Health Problems & Solutions

Some Health Quaries & Answers

My nose leaks all the time
Q: I fell down and hit my head on the washbasin, after which there was a nosebleed. Later, I found that my nose leaks all the time. It is a watery, odourless fluid with no sneezing. No treatment has helped. Finally, a doctor said the cerebrospinal fluid is leaking out from a crack in the skull bones and that I need surgery. What if I do not opt for an operation?
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A: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak — also called rhinorrhea — can be a result of blunt head trauma. This occurs in 2-6 per cent of patients with head injury. Most cases of CSF rhinorrhea that begin soon after a head injury cease spontaneously within 180 days. If it does not clear up, a brain infection called meningitis can occur in 25-50 per cent of the cases. That is probably the reason your doctor has advised surgical repair.

Long-term pill
Q: I am 62 years old with gas and acidity problems. I was prescribed Pantoprazole 40 once daily. I have been taking this since 2003. Is it okay to take the pill for such a long period?

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A: Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and works by blocking acid production in the stomach. It is used to treat acid-related stomach and throat (esophagus) problems like acid reflux, GERD, erosive esophagitis and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Some of these conditions require long-term treatment.

If such a medicine is consumed for more than three years, it can cause vitamin B12 deficiency. This causes a type of anaemia called megaloblastic anaemia with numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. Consult your physician for further advice.

Grinding teeth
Q: My son grinds his teeth at night. The noise disturbs our sleep. But more important, his teeth are getting worn down to the gums. He wakes up in the morning with a mouth pain. He has been dewormed five times, but this has not helped. Please help.

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A: The exact reason for bruxism (grinding teeth) is not known. It is associated with certain personality types, people who are high achievers and frustrated by failure. The important thing is to prevent damage to the teeth until the stress issues are resolved. A dentist can fit him with a “mouth guard” to prevent damage to the teeth.

Water therapy
Q: I drink four litres of water everyday as part of water therapy. I feel bloated after that and vomit out the water. Is this good or harmful?

A: Water therapy is advocated by some systems of medicine to cleanse the body of impurities and toxins. However, you do not seem to be following the specifications correctly. You are supposed to drink 1.5 litres (not four) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Also, you should not do this if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or liver or kidney failure.

IPV or OPV?
Q: My daughter’s paediatrician has advised injectable polio vaccine (IPV). It is more expensive than oral polio vaccine (OPV). Is it worth it? Why doesn’t the government provide them free?

A: OPV has to be transported and maintained properly at the correct temperature to keep its potency intact. Also, the uptake is variable in normal children and not good in those with diarrhoea. Keeping these limitations in mind, many developed countries have switched to IPV, which is a killed vaccine and does not entail these problems. We should do likewise. The government has introduced it in a few states, but cost is a major constraint. It is definitely superior to OPV and should be given to your child if possible.

Pimples on my back
Q: I have a lot of acne on my back. I also have dandruff. Please advise.

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A: Dandruff aggravates acne. You need to tackle the dandruff by washing your hair everyday with anti dandruff shampoo. It is probably best to keep varying the shampoo. Buy three brands like Selsun, Nizral and Head and Shoulders, and keep alternating them. For your back, bathe twice a day, using a loofah and Neko soap. Avoid talcum powder as it blocks the skin pores and aggravates the acne.

Human bite
Q: I was bitten by a co-worker during the course of an argument. I am apprehensive even though the company doctor said “there is no need to worry”.

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A: Human bite wounds are often underestimated and under treated. A person’s mouth is full of bacteria. Saliva contains as many as 1,00,000,000 organisms per ml, belonging to more than 200 species. Approximately 10-15 per cent of human bite wounds become infected by these bacteria. Potentially dangerous diseases like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, herpes simplex virus and tetanus can also be inoculated into the wound. Early cleaning of the wound and aggressive treatment are needed to prevent infection and its associated complications. Immunisation against tetanus and hepatitis B is available.

Source : The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

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News on Health & Science

Mouth Indicates Body’s Overall Health

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The mouth or oral cavity area is an excellent indicator of the whole body’s health, says a University of Maryland Dental School professor.
……....CLICK & SEE.
Professor Li Mao insists surface tissues inside the cheek could be checked to detect tobacco-induced damage in the lungs.

This could prove to be an important advancement in designing future lung cancer prevention trials.

“We hypothesized that tobacco-induced molecular alterations in the oral epithelium are similar to those in the lungs,” said Mao.

The expert added: “This might have broader implications for using the mouth as a diagnostic indicator for general health.”

“I feel that dentists should play a major role in prevention of cancer and Dr. Mao is the leading oral cancer researcher in the country. He crosses the bridge between medicine and dentistry,” said University of Maryland Dental School Dean Christian S. Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, a leader in the movement to retool dental education.

“Being a physician helps expand dental health care and he wants to change how patients are being treated because his background is in head and neck cancer,” Stohler added.

Source: The study is published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

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The Easiest Way to Avoid Getting Sick

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The food you put into your body can have a great affect on your overall health and well-being. Most Americans consume a high-acid diet full of fatty meats, chicken, turkey, pasta, cheese and hundreds of processed food items. This diet can ruin your body’s alkaline balance and actually lead to cell death in your entire body.

You need to reverse the acid overload and return to an alkaline state to avoid these sure signs of body imbalance:

*Poor circulation
*Joint and muscle pain
*Irregular heartbeats
*Weak veins and arteries
*Low energy and fatigue
*Premature aging
To help eliminate food chemicals, additives and toxins, plus the everyday toxic invaders from the air you breathe and the water you drink… you need to maintain an optimum pH alkaline/acid balance of 7 to 7.5 on a scale of 1 to 14. This pH scale measures 1 as being highly acidic, while 14 is highly alkaline. By reaching this pH balance goal, you can avoid excess acid that can cause damage to your colon, lungs, kidneys and skin, plus you can boost your immunity so you virtually never get sick!

You can also increase the amount of alkaline-forming foods you consume. These foods can help restore your pH balance, as well. Try to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, plus high-fiber foods and whole grains. Avoid dairy, sugary snack foods and processed items. By evaluating the food you put into your body, you can help maintain a healthy pH balance and avoid the ravages of old age and sickness.
FinalSmall
How a Small-Town Doctor Surprised the Experts by Helping to Beat Acid Overload in Almost All of His Patients!

Dr. William Eggerton is a doctor in a small town in Louisiana. He’s using a remarkably simple remedy to eliminate high acid levels and restore healthy body chemistry.

Just three to eight drops of this all-natural remedy is helping his patients experience incredible relief from fatigue, constipation, acid reflux and heartburn, just to name a few.

Dr. Eggerton is so convinced of the remarkable healing power from this nutrient, he takes it every day himself.

Find out about this amazing nutrient that’s guaranteed to help you—no matter how old you are or how bad your problem is… click here
Source: Better Health Research  9th.Nov’09

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