You have to take the necessary steps to prevent or limit the impact of GERD’s potential complications on your health.

Did you know that the sinuses and middle ears can also be affected by acid reflux? When reflux liquids enter the throat, they have the potential to inflame the adenoids.

The adenoids begin to swell and block the sinuses and Eustachian tubes, causing fluid to accumulate in the nasal passages, which leads to pain and discomfort in the sinuses and ears.

One of the many complications of GERD, especially when the condition is left untreated are ulcers.

Ulcers form when the reflux liquids irritate and inflame the esophagus for prolonged periods of time.

In time and with intense “reflux activity,” ulcers can become more severe and cause bleeding that will require immediate medical intervention.

Over time, when fluids from the stomach and digestive enzymes reflux into the esophagus, they cause inflammation in the lining of the esophagus. This inflammation, which can lead to bleeding, is called esophagitis.

The symptoms of esophagitis are anemia, vomiting blood and black stools. Esophagitis can develop into severe ulcers that lead to pain when swallowing, scarring and narrowing of the esophagus.

Esophagitis or reflux disease that are left untreated can lead to a dangerous condition called Barrett’s esophagus.

When Barrett’s esophagus occurs, the squamous cells (the cells that line the esophagus) change into different types of cells called columnar cells (a process called metaplasia) which can prevent food from entering the stomach.

About 5-20% of people with Barrett’s esophagus will develop cancer called esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your acid reflux? Check out my Heartburn No More program

The post HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FAIL TO TREAT ACID REFLUX IN A TIMELY MANNER first appeared on Jeff Martin's Acid Reflux Blog.

Under the advice of my doctor I started taking Prilosec for a few weeks and then Nexium for a couple of months because the first one gave me headaches and dizziness.

Proton pump inhibitors represent a class of medications used to treat a wide variety of pathologies related to the stomach’s acid production. Known for their use in acid-related disorders.

Omeprazole, a drug belonging to this class, is among the top 10 most prescribed drugs in the United States.

Nexium gave me abdominal pain and I was constipated for more than 7 days which was strange because bowel movements were always regular with me so I had to give them all up since they simply stopped working after awhile.

Did you know that over 15,000 lawsuits have been filed against Proton Pump Inhibitor medication companies and over-the-counter manufacturers including Prilosec and Protonix claiming that they failed to present proper warnings about the more serious side effects like kidney diseases and other complications.

The lawsuits allege the companies have known of the dangerous side effects from the drugs for at least ten years, before warning the public about it.

When first approved, PPI’s users were warned of more common side effects like nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea and headache, but thousands of patients have also experienced severe side effects and complications due to taking these medications.

It seems that doctors simply over-prescribe these medications, keeping patients on the drugs long term, while promoting sales in the place of health.

Need guidance on how to control and manage your acid reflux? Check out my Heartburn No More program 

The post How Dangerous Are Proton Pump Inhibitors(15,000 Lawsuits?) first appeared on Jeff Martin's Acid Reflux Blog.