by Kathryn Whittaker
There are a lot of people out there who claim to have both acid reflux disease and recurring diarrhea. Is this enough to warrant a medical connection? Well, probably not. But in light of recent studies, it is now fairly safe to say that a connection between these two exists; in fact, possibly more than one. In this article, we will talk briefly about these connections and what they mean.
The Connection
The first of these two connections is one that is naturally occurring. What this probably means is that both acid reflux and diarrhea are side effects of a more complicated root problem. In this particular case, faulty digestion is the problem. According to many medical sources, acid reflux can occur when the intestinal muscles involuntarily relax. This can also lead to irritable bowl syndrome and diarrhea, providing the first connection.
The second connection is treatment related. Actually, many studies now show that the drugs used to treat acid reflux are helping to contribute to recurrent diarrhea. There are two basic types of medicine for treating acid reflux, protein pump inhibitors (PPI) and H-2 blockers. Both are quite common, and are pretty effective at treating acid reflux.
Keep reading to discover why diarrhea can be a side effect from these medications. Also, you can sign up for the free acid reflux newsletter at the bottom of the page and find out natural methods of treating acid reflux without the diarrhea.
The Cause
However, both have also been shown to aid in the abnormal growth of a certain type of bacteria known as Clostridium difficile (C-diff). Too much C-diff growing in the colon, or large intestine, is the basic cause of diarrhea associated with acid reflux. Additionally, antibiotics (often taken for unrelated reasons) can actually kill off the good bacteria that help fight off C-diff, leaving the colon more prone to inhabitance by C-diff.
The Reason
The reason that taking drugs to combat acid reflux can lead to recurrent diarrhea is actually quite simple. Drugs that combat acid reflux do so by inhibiting the acid in a person's stomach. This acid, though, is not just for helping with food digestion, but also acts as a line of defense against unwanted antigens. When this line of defense weakened, foreign bugs and bacteria (such as C-diff) have a much easier entry route into the body.
This is also the same reason that physicians often suggest more natural methods of treatment before trying medicinal treatments like PPI and H-2 blockers. These methods include, but are not limited to: eating less at each meal time and eating more often, eating more slowly and chewing food well, eliminating alcoholic drinks, eliminating smoking, eating less fatty foods, eating less spicy foods, keeping your head elevated when sleeping, and avoiding meals right before sleep.
In short, acid reflux and diarrhea are definitely related. You could try adding more fiber to your diet to improve the diarrhea if it's medically induced as long as the fiber doesn't worsen the acid reflux. However, by giving natural methods of changing lifestyle and diet a try might be a great idea, and could make all the difference. Talk through your options with your medical practitioner for the best treatment approach for your situation.
About the Author
By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD head-on and discover more about acid reflux and diarrhea.
Thanks to Kathryn Whittaker for this article.
There are a lot of people out there who claim to have both acid reflux disease and recurring diarrhea. Is this enough to warrant a medical connection? Well, probably not. But in light of recent studies, it is now fairly safe to say that a connection between these two exists; in fact, possibly more than one. In this article, we will talk briefly about these connections and what they mean.
The Connection
The first of these two connections is one that is naturally occurring. What this probably means is that both acid reflux and diarrhea are side effects of a more complicated root problem. In this particular case, faulty digestion is the problem. According to many medical sources, acid reflux can occur when the intestinal muscles involuntarily relax. This can also lead to irritable bowl syndrome and diarrhea, providing the first connection.
The second connection is treatment related. Actually, many studies now show that the drugs used to treat acid reflux are helping to contribute to recurrent diarrhea. There are two basic types of medicine for treating acid reflux, protein pump inhibitors (PPI) and H-2 blockers. Both are quite common, and are pretty effective at treating acid reflux.
Keep reading to discover why diarrhea can be a side effect from these medications. Also, you can sign up for the free acid reflux newsletter at the bottom of the page and find out natural methods of treating acid reflux without the diarrhea.
The Cause
However, both have also been shown to aid in the abnormal growth of a certain type of bacteria known as Clostridium difficile (C-diff). Too much C-diff growing in the colon, or large intestine, is the basic cause of diarrhea associated with acid reflux. Additionally, antibiotics (often taken for unrelated reasons) can actually kill off the good bacteria that help fight off C-diff, leaving the colon more prone to inhabitance by C-diff.
The Reason
The reason that taking drugs to combat acid reflux can lead to recurrent diarrhea is actually quite simple. Drugs that combat acid reflux do so by inhibiting the acid in a person's stomach. This acid, though, is not just for helping with food digestion, but also acts as a line of defense against unwanted antigens. When this line of defense weakened, foreign bugs and bacteria (such as C-diff) have a much easier entry route into the body.
This is also the same reason that physicians often suggest more natural methods of treatment before trying medicinal treatments like PPI and H-2 blockers. These methods include, but are not limited to: eating less at each meal time and eating more often, eating more slowly and chewing food well, eliminating alcoholic drinks, eliminating smoking, eating less fatty foods, eating less spicy foods, keeping your head elevated when sleeping, and avoiding meals right before sleep.
In short, acid reflux and diarrhea are definitely related. You could try adding more fiber to your diet to improve the diarrhea if it's medically induced as long as the fiber doesn't worsen the acid reflux. However, by giving natural methods of changing lifestyle and diet a try might be a great idea, and could make all the difference. Talk through your options with your medical practitioner for the best treatment approach for your situation.
About the Author
By Kathryn Whittaker. Sign up for a free newsletter that has proven methods for tackling Acid Reflux, Heartburn and GERD head-on and discover more about acid reflux and diarrhea.
Thanks to Kathryn Whittaker for this article.
No comments:
Post a Comment