Acid Reflux, GERD, and Heartburn: Identify Your Digestive Issues

Anyone who suffers from acid reflux or GERD is all too familiar with the burning pain in the chest and the bitter acid that can rise into the throat—especially when bending over or lying down.

The worst part is the frustration and anxiety from the inability to eat any meal comfortably without suffering through the pain. As a result, more than 50 million Americans rely on both prescription and over-the-counter heartburn medications like Prilosec, Nexium, and Prevacid.

However, research shows that long-term use of heartburn medications causes significant damage to your peripheral nerves.

Identifying Your Acid Reflux: Heartburn vs GERD

More than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, and some studies show that more than 15 million Americans experience heartburn symptoms daily.

While similar, there are differences between heartburn and GERD.

Acid reflux is a backflow of stomach acids into the esophagus, which occurs in heartburn and GERD. The key difference is frequency: heartburn may occur occasionally (typically once a week or less), whereas GERD involves chronic acid reflux—often multiple times per week or daily.

Long-term GERD can cause esophagitis, chronic inflammation of the esophagus, ulcers, or bleeding in the esophagus. It can also lead to a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, where scar tissue develops from the chronic inflammation and irritation, narrowing or stricture of the throat’s pathway. Lastly, it can lead to esophageal cancer.

What Foods and Medications Trigger Acid Reflux?

The biggest culprit of acid reflux is diet. An unhealthy diet laden with processed foods can lead to GERD. 

At the bare minimum, you should clear out some of the primary food triggers like:

• Tomato sauces
• Chocolate
• Oranges and orange juice
• Caffeinated beverages
• Carbonated beverages
• Processed meats like sausage and even bacon
• Spicy foods
• Artificial sweeteners
• Vegetable or Canola oils
• Alcohol
• Smoking

These foods should be a good starting point. However, lasting healing often requires broader dietary changes.

If you want the fastest healing of GERD, follow an anti-inflammatory diet for at least 30 days. 

Furthermore, certain medications can cause acid reflux, such as

• Frequent use of antibiotics
• Osteoporosis medications, known as bisphosphonates like Fosamax, Boniva, or Actonel
• Pain reliever meds like Ibuprofen and aspirin
• Sedatives and tranquilizers, including valium and diazepam
• Calcium Channel Blockers for high blood pressure 

Other common causes of GERD include hiatal hernias, pregnancy, chronic inflammation, and mental or emotional distress. 

Common Symptoms of GERD from Acid Reflux

Most people are aware of common symptoms, which include

• Burning pain behind the breastbone
• Regurgitation of food

However, there are less commonly known symptoms, which are

• A bitter taste in your mouth
• Waking up in the middle of the night choking or coughing
• Dry mouth
• Bad breath
• Bloating after meals
• Nausea
• Belching, increased gas production, and burping after meals
• Hiccups that are difficult to stop
• Discomfort when bending over or lying down or acid regurgitating into your throat with these movements.
• Hoarseness when you wake up or throughout the day
• Chronic throat irritation, soreness, and dryness

The first step to any health journey is to identify the problem. If you suffer from GERD or heartburn, you can recover. However, most doctors prescribe an ineffective medication that does not help your gut heal.

What are Proton Pump Inhibitors?

The most common way acid reflux is treated is through the medication Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI). While there are many names for PPIs on the market, common names are Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, and Aciphex. 

Doctors commonly use PPIs to treat heartburn, GERD, ulcers, and H. Pylori.

PPIs limit the amount of acid produced by the stomach. They act as a temporary fix, masking symptoms rather than addressing the root cause. 

Dangers of Long-Term Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors 

The FDA mandated that these medications should never be used for longer than 2 weeks, as written on the box. There are tremendous side effects with long-term use. 

However, in our overmedicated society, doctors have prescribed these medications for years, and pharmaceutical companies have made them available over the counter.

B12 Deficiency

First, these medications lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency, which damages the sensory and motor portions of peripheral nerves. The deficiency also causes demyelination, which means damage or loss of the protective coating around the nerves.

Magnesium Depletion

Second, proton pump inhibitors also lead to magnesium depletion. Without magnesium, large amounts of calcium move into the nerve, resulting in excitotoxicity, which means severe overstimulation of the nerves. Excitotoxicity can lead to nerve cell death, damaging peripheral nerves.

Peripheral Nerve Damage

Magnesium and B12 play a critical role in the central and peripheral nervous systems. With damage to the peripheral nerves, both motor and sensory nerves, you may experience various symptoms, including: 

• Prickling and Tingling sensation
• Pins and needles
• Numbness
• Burning or sharp pain
• Inability to feel cold or heat
• Loss of balance
• Muscle spasms, cramping, or twitching of muscles
• Muscle Weakness and
• Muscle atrophy

If you struggle with the symptoms above in your hands or feet, you may have peripheral neuropathy. 

Memory Impairment

Numerous research studies show a direct link between taking PPIs and developing cognitive and memory impairment, leading to Alzheimer’s disease. The demyelination causes the breakdown of the brain. 

Lack of Oxygen to Cells

Studies further show that acid reflux medications damage endothelial cells (cells that line the blood vessels, allowing the exchange of oxygen from blood into tissues. Once these cells are damaged, the body struggles to transfer oxygen from the blood to the nerve cells, which can cause peripheral neuropathy.

Pneumonia

Besides being linked to Alzheimer’s dementia, it also increases a person’s risk of developing pneumonia. 

Kidney Disease

Taking PPIs long-term can result in kidney disease.

Decreased Bone Density

They can decrease bone mineral density, resulting in hip or bone fractures.

In 2010, the FDA revised the medication’s labeling to include a warning about a possible increased risk of bone fractures. 

Risk of Strokes

Acid reflux medications have also been linked with raising the risk of strokes. 

These are only a few of the risks of these medications. There are many more ramifications for the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors. 

Do not worry. There are ways to recover from GERD and heartburn without medications, which we will go over in more detail in our next blog!

Struggling with Neuropathy?

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Recognized as two of America’s foremost neuropathy specialists, Dr. Coppola and Dr. Monteiro offer a beacon of hope for those diagnosed with this challenging condition. If you or a loved one is seeking relief from neuropathy, reach out to us at 844 400-0101 or email us through our contact page – Click here.

Your path to healing can start today.