If  you are reaching out for an over-the-counter drug to treat your acidity, we aren’t telling you to stop right away. At times, too much GERD, burping and acidity pain (that happens in the upper part of your abdomen) might need immediate relief. And so, antacids become your immediate resort. But remember they are the best option for you when acidity is a one-time affair. If acidity is something that bothers you on a weekly or daily basis, it should make you worried to make an appointment with your doctor. ‘Remember antacids will only treat the problem symptomatically, it will not treat the underlying condition that triggers acidity. So it is important to get it checked with your doctor as acidity at times could also be a symptom of something more serious,’ says Dr Jay Kotecha consultant gastroenterologist, SVR Hospital, Mumbai. Here are some problems that could be the reason behind your acidity:
1. Cardiac problems: Now this is not an unknown cause. GERD and coronary heart disease or CHD have been linked for long now. People suffering from CHD are twice as likely to suffer from GERD compared to people devoid of any heart condition. This is more so as the drugs given to treat heart conditions can in one way trigger acidity and lead to reflux [1]. While this is one theory, remember acidity alone could make you prone to heart problems. ‘Repeated acidity could also be a sign that you might be suffering from cardiac problems which need treatment to control bloating, pain and GERD that you suffer from often due to the same,’ says Dr Kotecha.
2. Minor heart attack: There are times when one confuses a minor heart attack with acidity, and this is common occurrence these days. ‘A minor heart attack can at times present like a severe acidity and this could be fatal as one might not reach out for help in the right direction,’ says Dr Kotecha. In such a case it is important to know the difference between heart attack and acidity. If the pain from your abdomen also radiates to your left arm and jaws, probably an antacid won’t be able to help you. Also, if the pain gets you all of a sudden like early in the morning or sometime during the day when you didn’t indulge in a heavy or spicy meal, it could be a sign of heart attack.
3. Gall bladder stones: Pain due to acid reflux and that due to gallbladder stones are totally different. But most of the time the two are confused. Pain due to gall stones happens in the upper right quadrant of the stomach and at times radiates to the back or the sides. ‘Because acidity pains are similar to this that happens in the upper part of the abdomen, one might confuse the pain due to gallstones with acidity,’ says Dr Kotecha.
5. Stomach ulcers: These are caused due to a bacterial infection usually Helicobacter pylori or H. Pylori in the gut which erodes the inner lining of the stomach [2]. However, these are treatable when the symptoms are picked up soon, saving one from the pains and complications. However, one sign of stomach ulcers is acidity or pain in the upper abdomen followed by bloating, heartburn and uneasiness after having a full course meal. In fact, treatment of stomach ulcers is very necessary as the bacteria can predispose one to gastric cancer.
Here is what untreated acidity can do to you:
4. Unhealthy pancreas: ‘Most of the times it is thought that alcohol is the prime culprit that leads to deteriorating pancreas health. However, untreated acidity can also lead to the same due to inflammation and erosion of the inner lining,’ informs Dr Kotecha. When this happens, acidity might become a regular occurrence. And if you keep treating just the symptom by popping antacids, you ignore the health of a major organ – pancreas. It might be too late before you realise the damage.
6. Problems with the oesophagus: Untreated acidity can erode the oesophagus as the gastric acid strikes it often and the lining is acid-permeable. Also, there are studies that suggest that continuous usage of acid-suppressing medicines can make one prone to oesophagus cancer in the long run [3]. So instead of popping acidity pills it is better to pay a visit to a doctor to get your condition checked.
When to seek help to treat acidity?
Here are few signs that say your acidity isn’t just treatable with antacids, and you need to take a doctor’s appointment:
When it becomes a weekly or a daily affair
When you have pain after every meal
When the pain increases while you try to rest
When you have a bitter taste in your mouth and sore throat, yes these are a result of constant heartburn
When you experience too much belching and burping and there are growling sounds happening in your stomach
References
[1] 1: Pulkowski G, Majer M, Budzyński J, Swiatkowski M. [Gastroesophageal reflux disease and coronary heart disease--coexistence or interrelationship?]. Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2006 Jan;20(115):104-8. Review. Polish. PubMed PMID: 16617748.
[2] 1: Calam J, Gibbons A, Healey ZV, Bliss P, Arebi N. How does Helicobacter pylori cause mucosal damage? Its effect on acid and gastrin physiology. Gastroenterology. 1997 Dec; 113(6 Suppl):S43-9; discussion S50. Review. PubMed PMID: 9394759.
[3] Rodriguez, L. G., Lagergren, J., & Lindblad, M. (2006). Gastric acid suppression and risk of oesophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma: a nested case control study in the UK. Gut, 55(11), 1538-1544.