Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Hyperacidity: What's the Difference?

Most people tend to use the terms acid reflux, heartburn, and hyperacidity interchangeably. However, they are all different. What are the differences? When experiencing discomfort because of these, ano ang gamot sa acid? Read on to learn more.

What is Acid Reflux?

Before getting to the difference between acid reflux vs heartburn, we first need to define what these conditions are.

The word “acid” in acid reflux refers to the stomach acids that go backward into the esophagus. Ideally, the esophagus should only be a one-way tube, this means that anything you eat or drink should go from your mouth, down to your esophagus and into your stomach.

When reflux occurs, then it means that food and drink you consumed, along with stomach acids, go back up the esophagus. This happens because the esophageal sphincter, which acts as a one-way valve, is not functioning correctly. This could be due to various factors such as being obese or overweight, smoking, eating too much, etc.

If the stomach acids go up, then the esophagus starts to get irritated.  This results in pain and discomfort, as well as the burning sensation most people associate with acid reflux.

What is Heartburn?

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest that may happen as a result of acid reflux. People often consider heartburn troublesome if they experience mild symptoms two or more days weekly, or if they have moderate or severe symptoms more than once weekly.

Heartburn can occur at any time, but it usually happens after eating. It can also be triggered if a person is lying down. Sometimes, people find it difficult to fall asleep if they’re experiencing heartburn.

In some cases, the symptoms of heartburn are similar to that of angina. This is why some people might mistake heartburn for a heart attack, and vice versa.

Heartburn in itself is not necessarily a serious problem. Millions of people all over the world experience heartburn each day. However, if a person experiences heartburn more than twice a week for an extended period of time, then it might be a symptom of GERD.

If this happens, it would be best to talk to a doctor about it, as repeated inflammation of the esophagus can cause serious health complications.

What is hyperacidity?

Hyperacidity occurs when the stomach produces too much acid. Acid irritating the lining of the stomach and esophagus may result in discomfort. Symptoms of hyperacidity include pain in the stomach, especially the upper area, sour or acidic feelings in the stomach, and feeling gassy, bloated, or flatulent.

Ano ang gamot sa acid?

Here are some things that you can do to lower your risk of acid reflux, heartburn, and hyperacidity:

Eat smaller meals

Eating smaller meals can help reduce the risk of acid reflux. One way of doing this is instead of eating 3 full meals per day, you can eat 6 smaller meals spread throughout the day.

Maintain a healthy weight

People who are obese or overweight tend to have a higher risk of acid reflux. This extra fat essentially “squeezes” the stomach, causing more acid to go up the esophagus, and can make acid reflux worse, or even lead to GERD.

By keeping a healthy weight, you can relieve the pressure on your stomach and lower the chances of acid reflux.

Stop smoking

Smoking is another possible cause of acid reflux. One reason why this happens is that nicotine in cigarette smoke relaxes the esophageal sphincter, causing stomach acids to go up the esophagus.

This is also the reason why most smokers tend to suffer from acid reflux or GERD, and the symptoms only get worse the longer they smoke. Cigarette smoke also irritates the esophagus and causes additional inflammation.

It would be best to quit smoking as soon as possible in order to lower the risk of acid reflux as well as more serious problems associated with smoking.

Avoid drinking alcohol and coffee

Both alcohol and coffee have a relaxing effect on the esophageal sphincter. This means that if you drink alcohol and coffee, there’s a chance that it could trigger acid reflux.

The best way to prevent this from happening would be to avoid drinking alcohol and coffee entirely. If this is not possible, then try to drink less of these, especially if you are prone to acid reflux.

By following these tips, you can reduce your risk for heartburn, acid reflux, hyperacidity, as well as GERD.

Ang gamot sa acid when you’re looking for quick relief

If you are looking for quick relief for heartburn or acid reflux, consider Famotidine + Calcium Carbonate + Magnesium Hydroxide (Kremil-S Advance). This is best if you prefer a chewable tablet format and experience recurring heartburn and acid reflux. It works in as fast as 3 minutes and provides all-day relief for up to 12 hours.

You may also try Sodium Alginate + Sodium Bicarbonate + Calcium Carbonate (Kremil-S Cool Relief).  if you prefer fast, soothing relief in a liquid format. It works in as fast as 1 minute and tastes good.

If you are experiencing hyperacidity, try Aluminum Hydroxide + Magnesium Hydroxide + Simeticone (KREMIL-S), which gives relief within five minutes.

Key Takeaways

Acid reflux, heartburn, and hyperacidity may have similar symptoms, but they are not the same condition. Acid reflux happens when stomach contents and acid flow back into the esophagus, while heartburn refers to the burning sensation that may result from this reflux. Hyperacidity, on the other hand, occurs when there is too much acid in the stomach, which can cause stomach discomfort and bloating. Knowing the difference can help you manage your symptoms better. Kung naghahanap ka ng gamot sa acid, certain over-the-counter medicines may also help address heartburn, acid reflux, or hyperacidity depending on your symptoms.