Gastric juice is one of the main components of the digestive system. Its main property depends on the level of increased or decreased acidity or, in other words, the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the composition.
What kind of ailment?
Other acids are present in the gastric juice, including lactic acid, but their content is too small. Acidity has a pH unit . With some violations of the body, fluctuations of this value are possible in one direction or another. For example, the infectious process or functional disorders of the stomach lead to its increase. In this case, they speak of the presence of increased acidity.
A disease such as gastritis provokes increased production of hydrochloric acid. It also leads to increased acidity of the stomach. It is not difficult to find this deviation in the normal functioning of the digestive system. In most cases, this process is accompanied by heartburn and can be both short-term and chronic.
The reason for the appearance of heartburn is explained as follows: the excess of hydrochloric acid together with the gastric juice rises higher in the esophagus, in which an alkaline environment predominates. The contact of different environments and causes discomfort, which is difficult not to notice.
Causes
There are a number of factors that influence the production of a large volume of hydrochloric acid, which leads to an increase in pH and an increase in acidity:
- gastrointestinal surgery;
- stress
- malnutrition;
- alcohol abuse
- chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- prolonged use of medicines (antibiotics);
- infections
- hormonal disruptions in the body.
Often, acidity increases with improper nutrition, with the use of fatty foods, foods on the run, carbonated drinks, spices. Nicotine and alcohol, the use of medications play a significant role in increasing hydrochloric acid. A negative effect is on the walls of the stomach, which in turn leads to the fact that acidity increases.
Gastrointestinal infections have a great effect on increasing acidity. You can get infected even when using the same dishes with an infected person. Bacteria cause irritation of the walls of the stomach, which leads to an increase in the level of hydrochloric acid.
Gastritis plays a significant role in the diagnosis of high acidity, causing the production of hormones, which are responsible for the volume of hydrochloric acid produced.
How is the disease manifested?
This ailment is an imbalance in the excessive production of hydrochloric acid and its elimination.
The disease is accompanied by symptoms such as:
- heartburn (the effect of acid of the gastric juice on the mucous membrane of the esophagus) after eating or if you take a horizontal position;
- unpleasant belching, having a bitter and sour taste;
- constant heaviness in the stomach, i.e. a feeling of fullness, even if the meal was in small quantities;
- bloating;
- pain in the intestine;
- the possibility of gas formation;
- constipation or, conversely, diarrhea;
- decreased appetite due to persistent heartburn or pain after each meal;
- burning in the throat;
- apathy, drowsiness, decreased performance, poor mood, irritability;
- in rare cases, nausea and vomiting occurs;
- plaque of gray, yellow, white on the tongue.
A disease accompanied by increased acidity is gastritis, the symptoms of which may be similar to those of erosion or a stomach ulcer. For an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to go through some types of procedures and pass a certain list of tests. After that, a diet and drug treatment are prescribed.
High acidity heartburn
The causes of heartburn include:
- Constant stress and overstrain of the body. The nervous system can have a negative effect on the entire human body.
- Heredity.
- Endocrine diseases. Problems with the thyroid gland also negatively affect the digestive organs.
- Unhealthy food. With frequent use of spicy, fatty foods, increased acidity appears.
- Fast food and smoked meats also provoke the development of the disease.
- In addition to junk food, hot foods can trigger acidity.
- The use of certain pills and other medicines. With prolonged use of a drug that affects the hormonal background, a high concentration of acid occurs.
- Bad habits. Alcohol and cigarettes provoke the occurrence of increased acidity.
People with a high content of hydrochloric acid should not eat harmful foods.
How to identify?
Gastritis with high acidity can be detected by detecting the following symptoms:
- Aching pain in the left hypochondrium.
- Often, patients suffering from gastritis are tormented by frequent heartburn.
- Belching sour. This symptom is also called acid reflux, acid burping indicates an excess of acid in the stomach, so the patient feels an unpleasant aftertaste. With gastritis with low acidity, belching gives away rotten.
- Nausea and vomiting. Nausea can occur due to a large interval between meals, and vomiting occurs due to an erosion process, or the patient ate a lot of acidic food, and the body has no choice but to get rid of too much acid.
- Bloating. Usually, with increased acidity, a person has constipation, against the background of which bloating and gas formation of the abdomen appear.
- Decreased or increased appetite. If gastritis is superficial, then after eating, the amount of acid in the stomach decreases, and the patient may still want to eat. And if gastritis is acute, then after eating the stomach may hurt, and appetite worsen or disappear altogether.
- Nightly pains in the stomach. Usually the stomach begins to hurt when it is empty, so it often hurts at night. In chronic gastritis, the symptoms are not so pronounced, pain can occur if you abuse alcohol, eat poorly, eat a lot of acidic food.
Many are interested in the question - is it possible to smoke with gastritis with high acidity? Doctors answer categorically: in no case! Smoking provokes acid growth in the gastrointestinal tract.
It is necessary to undergo certain medical examinations that confirm a disease such as gastritis, for example, fibrogastroscopy.
Diagnostics
Increased acidity is a painful condition that is caused by a change in the composition of the gastric juice. It becomes more viscous, acidic and aggressively affects the mucous membranes of the stomach, intestines, and esophagus. This phenomenon can be diagnosed with the help of a comprehensive examination, which reveals not only a change in the basic function of the digestive system, but also a number of diseases that arise against the background of active splitting - ulcers, gastritis, gastroduodenitis, dyspepsia.
Ulcer, ulcerative colitis, perforation
These disorders go side by side with a change in acidity, as they are directly related to the slightest fluctuations in secretion. The first diagnostic methods for identifying such conditions are: FGS, urine and blood tests, biochemical blood tests (ASAT, ALAT and enzymes).
Gastritis
A weak form of damage to the mucous membranes of the stomach. Doctors call him a harbinger of a peptic ulcer and associate it with a change in the secretion of gastric juice, malnutrition, and metabolic disorders. Diagnosis of this disease comes down to an X-ray of the stomach, a collection of primary tests (blood, urine, feces), a biochemical and toxic blood test.
Gastroduodenitis
A complex multicomponent disease that affects all possible aspects of food absorption. When this disease appears, the level of acidity immediately changes. Characteristic symptoms and laboratory examination methods (including a blood test for toxic nature) help determine this fact.
Complications
Increasing the acidity of the gastric juice is an intermediate condition, which is one of the determining factors in the development of many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Prolonged exposure to an aggressive environment can lead to the occurrence of:
- ulcers of the stomach and duodenum;
- gastritis;
- gastroduodenitis;
- chronic esophagitis;
- persistent metabolic disorders.
All these diseases very quickly turn into the chronic stage, since the secret eats away the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines, causing them to thin out and work worse. Over time, the acid accumulated in large quantities begins to penetrate the intestines, poisoning the capillary network. This leads to the appearance of blood in stool tests and a general deterioration in well-being.
Bright symptomatic manifestations of increased acidity are:
- heartburn;
- indigestion;
- pain after eating;
- upset stool;
- not passing feeling of discomfort.
Medication for high acidity
Therapy is the same as with regular heartburn. With the exception of drugs associated with the normalization of the functions of the digestive system, enzymes.
List of medicines:
- "Kvamatel" - a drug that blocks histamine receptors.
- Omeprazole is a drug that inhibits the production of hydrochloric acid.
- "Hilak-forte", "Linex" - is prescribed for the appearance of intestinal disorders.
- Folic acid - is able to normalize the absorption function of beneficial trace elements, increase the contractile strength of the muscles of the esophagus.
- B vitamins - have a general beneficial effect on the nerve fiber. Help eliminate problems associated with metabolic changes.
- Enzymes - "Creon", "Pancreatin". They help the body digest food, increase appetite.
- Niacin - improves blood circulation in the stomach. The process of assimilation of nutrients is facilitated.
- Retinol (Vitamin A) - accelerates the healing of the mucous membrane. Helps withstand infectious, inflammatory processes.
- Vitamin U - it is produced in tablet form. Vitamin A is prescribed for the prevention of acute conditions. It affects the integrity of the mucous membranes, counteracts the appearance of internal scars, stabilizes metabolic processes.
Alternative treatment of high acidity
After eating, you may experience an unpleasant feeling, especially after dishes with hot spices. A burning sensation in the esophagus is called heartburn.
Gastric juice is an important element in the digestion of food. Its composition includes hydrochloric acid. With an increased concentration of hydrochloric acid, stomach diseases (ulcers, gastritis) occur. If heartburn occurs constantly, then treatment should be taken.
Alternative methods of treatment
If the patient has an increased acidity, a folk remedy is exactly what is needed to normalize it. However, do not forget to consult a doctor! Here are some tips you can apply:
- Infusion of mint leaves. For cooking, use a pinch of leaves and brew them in hot water. Then strain and use three times.
- Sea buckthorn oil. Place fresh sea buckthorn berries in a container of cold water and close the lid. Shake well for a few minutes. After that, oil will appear on the surface. Collect sea buckthorn oil from the surface of the water and drink one tablespoon three times in half an hour before eating.
- Carrot juice. Juice from carrots reduces the concentration of hydrochloric acid. It should be drunk one glass a day.
- Mineral water. Drink mineral water should be half a glass before meals. Do this for four weeks. Before use, it is recommended to warm the water.
- Decoction of chamomile flowers. Two teaspoons of flowers are used for one glass of water. After brewing, let it brew and strain. Consume daily half an hour before meals.
- Honey. Add half a gram of honey to half a liter of warm water. The composition should be diluted and drunk before meals. The duration of treatment is two months. Honey diluted in water is very useful for patients who suffer from ulcers and gastritis.
- Aloe. Squeeze the leaves of aloe, dilute the resulting juice in water. Drink daily before meals.
- Juice from potatoes. Squeeze juice from fresh potatoes and drink no more than ten days. Only fresh juice should be consumed, so you have to cook it every day. Drink daily in small portions at bedtime.
- A decoction of herbs. Herbs decoctions will help reduce high acid content. Among them, one of the most effective is a decoction of sea buckthorn berries. Add four tablespoons of berries in two glasses with boiling water, let it brew. Take for four days. This broth can be taken with the addition of honey.
If you use traditional medicine, you can be cured of acidity.
Physiotherapy against the disease
Today, medicine knows several methods of physiotherapeutic treatment with a high degree of effectiveness.
The simplest method of treatment is the use of mineral water. It is often prescribed during treatment of high acidity with gastritis and other ailments. All mineral water is separated by various ions that dominate its composition, and are classified into 5 groups:
- alkaline;
- sulfate;
- chloride;
- magnesium enriched water;
- glandular.
But opinions on whether it is possible to drink mineral water with increased acidity in the acute stage are disagreeing. In order not to provoke an even greater pathology, you need to consult a doctor.
Magnetotherapy is a fairly common form of physiotherapy, it involves treatment with a magnetic field. Its essence is the formation of eddy currents in the mucous membrane of the stomach, due to which there is a strong release of heat, expansion of blood vessels and increased respiration.
One of the leading techniques is treatment with aerotherapy, the essence of which is to fill the patient’s body with oxygen, due to the cooling of skin receptors and nerve endings of the mucous membrane. Aerotherapy is an essential component of spa treatment.
Prevention
Has a disease such as gastritis with high acidity been detected? Do not worry. After all, there are ways to prevent the condition from worsening and make the course of the disease easier (or prevent it at all):
- Drug treatment. The doctor can prescribe medications in the form of tablets and suspensions that will not allow an increase in acidity and prevent pain in the stomach.
- Exclude the following foods: oily fish, fried, sour and salty foods, canned food, vinegar, chocolate, strong coffee and tea.
- To reduce acidity, easily digestible and high-calorie foods are recommended, the food should be steamed, and by consistency should be liquid (oatmeal, jelly), eat food in small portions and often.
- Periodic visits to the attending physician. If increased acidity has already been detected, then you need to regularly visit your doctor once or twice a year at a routine examination.
- Timely treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, if necessary.
- Stressful situations are best avoided because they can also increase acidity.
One of the most important organs of the digestive system is the stomach. It participates in the processes of accumulation and processing of food, the fulfillment of the splitting function, promotes the secretion of gastric juice.
By measuring the normal level of acidity is performed in the calculation of hydrogen ions.
Methods of research indicators:
- pH meter
- Sounding.
- acid test.
Symptoms of increased acidity of the stomach:
- Heartburn after eating.
- Burping.
- Flatulence.
- Fastening feces.
- Pain in the stomach
Diets for detecting an increase in acidity
Due to the identification of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, the doctor ascribes a diet with high acidity.
Below are the main recommendations for a proper diet. They will help alleviate periods of exacerbations with high acidity. Your diet should consist mainly of warm lean soups and borscht, while the broth is diluted in a ratio of one to one. Be sure to include in the menu for high acidity:
- carrot;
- potatoes (only boiled or baked);
- broccoli;
- spinach;
- pumpkin (pumpkin soups, porridge, baked);
- cottage cheese;
- milk;
- quail eggs;
- boiled or baked meat of chickens, beef, rabbit, turkey;
- cutlets or meatballs for a couple;
- pasta only hard varieties;
- fresh greens.
It is worth for a certain period to abandon the following types of food:
- cholesterol-containing products;
- roast;
- oily;
- sharp;
- spices;
- coffee;
- cabbage;
- radish and radish;
- carbonated drink;
- mushrooms;
- smoked meats;
- bread and butter products.
Also, products that increase acidity include:
- garlic;
- onion;
- apples (sour varieties);
- Tomatoes
- spice;
- fatty foods;
- coffee, chocolate;
- citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, etc.).
To treat and normalize the level of hydrochloric acid in the digestive tract, harmful products must be eliminated.
To normalize acidity, a diet is perfect.
It is worth drinking more stewed fruit from dried fruits and still water. It is also worth noting that food should be fractional and portioned.
No need to abuse salt and salinity. Along with this, in no case should you consume alcoholic beverages, this can increase painful attacks in the stomach.
It is useful to use a variety of sweet berries fresh and as a supplement to cereals. The undoubted benefit on the gastrointestinal tract will be the use of home-made yoghurts from starter cultures. Another condition for accelerating recovery with increased acidity is the elimination of hunger, which reduces pain. At the same time, you should refuse to eat food before going to bed.