Acid Reflux Wedge Pillow

by cureacid on October 22, 2009

What Is An Acid Reflux Wedge Pillow, & Can It Help Me Sleep?

An acid reflux wedge pillow has been specially designed so that it raises the upper part of the body, so that it makes it much harder for acid reflux to make its way up the esophagus. Most of the wedge pillows are roughly the size of a regular pillow, but there are a few that are more superior in my eyes.

A good number of acid reflux wedge pillows just work on tilting your head higher, which may keep acid reflux down a little, but you can end up with neck pain from the angle your head is kept all night long. The better pillows in my estimation are larger, 24 inches wide, but 32 inches long, and they gradually raise your body from your waist up to your head, so that you end up with your head being some 6 or 7 inches higher. But this is done gradually, so no neck cricks, and you can still use your favourite pillow on top if you choose.

Another thing to watch out for is the width of the acid reflux wedge pillow, as some are only 11 or 12 inches wide, not the width of a regular pillow. I recommend getting the 24 inch wide pillow, so that you can turn over without worrying about being in the wrong position.

The wider, longer pillow also allows you to sleep on your back or your side, whichever you prefer.

Not all of these pillows are travel pillows, but there is one that folds up  and has a travel case with handle so it is easier to carry.  This lets you take it with you when you are traveling, so you can still get a good quality sleep.

Although these wedge pillows are often called acid reflux wedge pillows, they can be used for many reasons. They help to stop snorers from making so much noise, and they help to eliminate the night time coughing due to a nasal drip when you have a cold. You can also use them to raise your legs if they are aching after a hard day, or you can use it to sit more upright to read in bed.

These pillows sell for under US$100 and come with a removable pillow case, and often this price gets you free shipping. It may seem like a lot to spend on one pillow, but for something that will reduce the damage to your esophagus, and enable you to get a good night’s sleep, they are worth every cent. And it isn’t like you have to keep buying them every month like you do prescriptions. So why not see if an acid reflux wedge pillow can help you get a good night’s sleep – you deserve it!

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Infant Reflux Symptoms

by cureacid on October 22, 2009

Acid Reflux occurs when acid and/or food travels back into the esophagus from the stomach during or it can be after a meal. Normally the lower esophageal sphincter, which is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus, will open to allow food to enter the stomach, and it also opens to release gas in the form of burps. However, when the sphincter opens in infants, it allows the contents of the infants stomach to go back into the esophagus, and then often the mouth where it is vomited out of the mouth.

Obviously, vomiting is one symptom to look out for in your infant, but as this occurs in most babies and infants, it is nothing to be too concerned about, unless it is happening constantly, or the infant is losing weight, or writhing in pain. If you infant arches his or her back frequently while feeding, this could be a sign of pain and distress in the infant. Or if there is constant or sudden bouts of crying, or there are symptoms like colic. Acid reflux can cause sleeping problems in infants, just like it does in children or adults.

Wet burps could also be a symptom, or frequent hiccups.Now most acid reflux clears itself up in infants as they grow older and their nutritional needs change more toward regular food rather than just milk. However, while they are in the spitting up phase there are a few things you can do to try to lessen this.

First of all, try to keep the infant as upright as possible during feeding, and afterward for about 30 minutes, so that the stomach’s contents will not be able to flow back up the esophagus as easily. Do not rock your infant, for the same reasons. You do not want food to flow up the esophagus while you are rocking them, and you often rock the babies, while they are lying down.

If possible, feed your infant more often with smaller meals, rather than fewer larger ones. The stomach can cope with smaller amounts of food much more easily, and there will be less chance of the food being forced back up into the mouth. Sometimes, just thicken your infant’s food with a little rice cereal make all the difference, with the thicker food being unable to travel up the esophagus as easily.

Now of course, if you have any concerns about your infant, you should be seeing a medical doctor as soon as possible, and especially if your infant is not gaining weight, or you suspect a food allergy.

So, if you have any concerns about your infant, and you suspect that there are infant reflux symptoms present, see your health professional as soon as possible.

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Gastroesophageal Reflux, Heartburn Or Acid Reflux

by cureacid on October 22, 2009

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is often called Gerd for short, or Gastroesophageal Reflux, which is the milder form (Ger), or acid reflux or heartburn. It is caused by acid leaving the stomach and entering the esophagus that leads to the mouth. Because it is acid, it leaves a burning sensation in the esophagus and throat, a burning which is most unpleasant. If you have persistent ger, then you most likely will be diagnosed as having gerd. This occurs in people of all ages, babies to seniors, and it can lead to further health problems.

While the main symptom of gerd is heartburn in adults, it can cause a permanent dry cough, or problems with breathing or swallowing. Children typically do not have heartburn, but suffer with the dry cough or breathing problems.

Now it has been found that some foods are more likely to cause gastroesophageal reflux, spicy foods, chocolate, fatty or fried foods, as well as caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee. Tomatoes too can be a problem, and this affects all the tomato based foods like pizza and spaghetti sauce.

To avoid all of these reflux triggers can seem rather drastic, but the alternative, as far as the medical profession sees it, is to continue to take more and more prescribed medications. But they do not work well, because the way they do work is to reduce the amount of acid actually in the stomach. However, the stomach needs these digestive juices to digest and process the food we have put there, and when it has insufficient acid there, it cannot do a good job. The result is more stomach problems.

What can you do to stop gastroesophageal reflux? There are some foods that you should eat to ease the problem, almonds, avocados, hazelnuts, and others, but you can also change the way you eat. By eating smaller amounts more often, your stomach can deal with the digestion more easily than with a full and overflowing one, so smaller meals more often makes a lot more sense than large meals.

If you are having trouble sleeping at night because of gastroesophageal reflux, then you might want to purchase an acid reflux wedge pillow. They support your body in a more upright position, which stops the reflux from being able to travel easily in the esophagus.

You could also change the combination of foods you eat. For example, if when you eat fruit and only fruit, your body can cope with it more easily because it treat all the fruit the same way. But if you mix proteins in the form of meat with fruit, it has a much harder time, and acid reflux is the result. Since I started changing the combination of foods that I eat, I have been able to stop taking prescribed medications for gastroesophageal reflux, and I can now eat many more foods without getting the horrible indigestion that I did before. It might be something that you want to look into some more.

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Symptoms Of Acid Reflux

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What Will Stop Your Acid Reflux Cough And Let You Sleep?

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