There’s a valve at the entrance to your stomach. It’s actually a ring of muscle and it closes as soon as food passes through it. Think of it like the door to your stomach, letting in food when appropriate.
Now in your stomach there’s acid. If that valve doesn’t shut correctly, guess what can happen? The acid can sneak through and move up into your esophagus. When this happens, you’ll probably get a burning pain in your chest, known as heartburn. Should this occur more than twice a week, chances are you’ve got acid reflux disease.
One of the main reasons the valve isn’t working properly is because of a hiatal hernia. The hernia means your stomach and its valve have shifted above the diaphragm. As a muscle which separates the stomach from the chest, the diaphragm usually helps keep acid in your stomach where it belongs. But, if things get out of place, then you get acid reflux– not fun!
Other factors that contribute to acid reflux can include being obese, eating certain spicy/fatty foods like tomatoes, garlic, and chocolate, as well as smoking, pregnancy, or taking muscle relaxers.
How do you know if you’ve got acid reflux? Besides heartburn, you may have a sour/bitter taste in your mouth from the acid regurgitating. Burping, bloating, hiccups, nausea, and a feeling of food being stuck in your throat are also symptoms.
Ways to combat acid reflux include wearing non-tight clothing, not eating at least three hours before lying down, and eating slower, smaller meals during the day, choosing foods that don’t agitate you.
Consider making an appointment at Lakewoods Chiropractic if acid reflux is bothering you. The chiropractor can use hand manipulation to relieve your chest pain. Furthermore, the doctor can use gentle tissue manipulation to pull your stomach back down below the diaphragm where it belongs. This, in turn, lets the valve close as intended. In other words, the hiatal hernia can be corrected so that things are back in their normal place in the body.
Call 651-464-0800 to schedule an appointment at Lakewoods Chiropractic in Forest Lake, MN, if you want to alleviate the problems associated with acid reflux disease.
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