This article describes about the eye surgery called Lasik which helps in decreasing the dependence on glasses for eye.

With the advancement in the medical field at an exponential rate in the past few decades, the process of surgeries has undergone a major shift. The development of Wavefront Lasik surgery is one such change that has sparked new hopes for seriously ill patients. It is an offshoot of Lasik (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis), a form of eye surgery through the use of laser beams. This operation is carried out by a trained ophthalmologist and has proved to be an effective treatment method for eye disorders like hyperopia, myopia and astigmatism.

Wavefront Lasik is a method in the above said surgery procedure which uses a spatially changing correction technique to get the most optically correct eye. It is a bit different from the usual Lasik procedures where simple correction of the cornea is done to make its focusing power better. Since the Wavefront technology uses the three dimensional scanning of the eye while the operation is being carried out, the precision of the entire process is enhanced. It is a more preferred method of eye correction process these days as the doctor can get to know about the exact point of fault in the eye of the patient. This customized treatment can go a long way in knowing the peculiarity of a case, and the right treatment can be done accordingly. One of the best things about Wavefront Lasik surgery is that it reduces numerous post-Lasik surgery side-effects like halos, glare and irregularities in night vision.

Wavefront Lasik is similar to Lasik in many ways. It uses the same excimer laser for the operation as its earlier counterpart and creates a flap in the corneal region of the eye of the patient. It also is precise like Lasik in its treatment and simply eliminates the faults in the cornea by vaporizing them. It has an edge over the traditional Lasik in a few more ways. Many HOA (High Order Aberrations) cannot be treated using the traditional Lasik method of operation. Disorders like halo formation or night vision problem can be corrected using only Wavefront Lasik as the older Lasik method is not developed to cure them.

The procedure of Wavefront Lasik surgery is simple, a beam of light is sent to the cornea of the patient which is reflected back to the computing device to create a three dimensional image. This image gives an idea of the flaws present in the eye to the doctor who then uses the data to guide the laser at the precise faulty points. This way, the disorder on the cornea of a patient can be treated effectively and in the least risky way. It is a highly customized method of treatment and every operation is unique in its own way. It is specially designed to cure the particular patient rather than giving a general treatment for a range of similar disorders. Wavefront Lasik might be the right choice for you if you have a disorder that is deteriorating the quality of your vision. It is simple

, less risky and widely available at all the leading hospitals across the world.

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An understanding of the causes, symptoms and treatment of Candida

Yeast infections are not limited to one certain area or one type of person. A man, a woman, a baby, a teen, or an elderly person can get yeast infections. The infections may be a one-time occurrence or they can return time after time, sometimes maybe months or years later. The reason is that yeast is in our bodies all the time and the infections are caused when they acquire the ability for abnormal growth. So, the potential for an infection is always there.

Some symptoms of yeast infection are:

Diaper rash, white coating of the mouth or tongue, skin rashes under the breasts or folds of skin in other areas, mouth sores, itching, burning, redness of the infected area, lethargy, painful urination, cottage cheese-like discharge, painful intercourse, irritability, depression, and headache.

A yeast infection is considered chronic when it occurs at least four times a year. It could be confused with other illnesses, including vulvitis, which is why it is important that you consult your doctor if you aren’t sure of the cause of the infection.

It’s possible that simple lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your tendency to get a yeast infection. The way you wipe when relieving yourself, tight pants, pantyhose, underwear that doesn’t absorb moisture, bras that trap moisture, wet bathing suits or sportswear that is worn too long repeatedly, and diet can all be contributors to yeast overgrowth that can be overcome. Learning good hygiene and putting it into practice can make a big difference in this area as well as your overall health and well-being. See yeast-infection-helpline.com for more on personal hygiene.

Consider the process of dough rising. What makes it possible for the yeast to activate? You must prepare the yeast in a container of warm water, let it sit for a few minutes, and then mix it with other warm ingredients. You let this mixture sit in a warm place for it to rise. Our bodies have many warm places for the yeast to multiply. They thrive in the heated areas that can hold the moisture. When they multiply, they cause irritation. We get unpleasant feelings of itching, burning, swelling, and overall discomfort.

It’s usually nothing to worry about and can be easily corrected. Changing your lifestyle to improve your recovery success is one step toward achieving yeast control and combating infection. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, although it can be embarrassing to admit to others. Some people are extremely sensitive about yeast infections because they feel dirty about having one. But everyone is susceptible to them. Should a baby be ashamed because it gets yeast infection? What about diaper rash? It can be a form of yeast infection. What about oral thrush? It’s another form of yeast infection. Babies can get both, yet no one is ashamed to speak of this.

People who keep themselves clean and dry more than most can still get yeast infections. But it is not an excuse to be careless about your personal hygiene, only a way to reassure you that it is not necessarily because of lazy hygiene. The lazy hygiene just doesn’t help matters

, especially during recovery.

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Choices. Every day we are faced with choices. Making healthy fast food choices are no exception. Here we disscuss healthy option that taste great and are so good for you.

Healthy Fast Food choices! No it’s not a misnomer. There is such a thing as healthy fast food choices. I realize that the “Golden Arches” and other fast food places are usually not associated with health food but, hold on, give them a chance.

The dark cloud hanging over fast food restaurants is pretty overrated, as there are plenty of nutritious and fulfilling selections to mull over. Being equipped with the knowledge of how to make healthier choices at fast food eateries is key to getting the most out of a dining possibility that is convenient, inexpensive and truly speedy.

Hamburger Heaven

A single hamburger at a fast food restaurant is pretty reasonable. The McDonald’s plain ‘ole hamburger with its signature onions contains 250 calories with a reasonable saturated fat count and decent serving of protein.

Eliminating the calorie laden sauce from your burger cuts way down on the fat content. Use mustard instead.

For example, forgo the slice of cheese on a Wendy’s Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe and save 40 calories. Eliminating the mayo takes off a good twenty-five calories. Use mustard - it tastes great and is healthy too. Want to save carbs and calories regarding your healthy fast food selections? Save sixty calories and eat only half of the bun. All together, the 125-calorie cut still allows you to savor the taste of bacon and juicy hamburger accompanied by nutritious tomatoes and lettuce.

Additionally, you can also select smaller burger choices, as a Whopper Jr. without mayo (290 calories) tastes just as good as its 510-calorie cousin.

Chicken Delight

With all of the Crispy Chicken Sandwiches and Chicken Nuggets lining the fast food strip, it’s hard to pass on the spicy blend of seasonings that tickle the tongue.

Once again, the real reason you order a chicken sandwich is to savor the crispy coating, so why waste calories on the bun, which takes up 120 calories of the 340-calorie sandwich? Some people eat the chicken completely without bun, while others only use half.

At McDonald’s, the Honey Mustard Snack Wrap with Grilled Chicken is a sandwich offering the second lowest number of calories on the menu with 260. A four-piece Chicken Nuggets offers only 170 calories. In order to reduce the number of calories associated with healthy fast food chicken choices, pay attention to your sauces, as a Creamy Ranch Sauce runs 200 calories alone.

Pizza, Pizza

Scan the menus of popular chains, such as Pizza Hut, and you will learn about healthy fast food choices, such as the Thin-n-Crispy selections, which offers less bread and crust.

Use the healthy toppings like onions, peppers, olives, jalapeсos and mushrooms while cutting back on the meat toppings creates a healthy good for you meal.

Pizza Hut also offers “Fit-n-Delicious” pizzas, where the diced red tomato, mushroom, and jalapeno selection provides 150-calorie slices.

Additional Healthy Fast Food

Often overlooked as a fast food restaurant, Subway is a great way to stick with a healthy meal plan. Some of the best selections include tons of vegetables and lean chicken. The half sub daily special is my favorite. Meat of the day on honey oat bread, spicy mustard and loaded with all the crisp veggies. What a taste explosion and it’s so healthy.

Overall, the continuous pressure to lead a healthier lifestyle has encouraged numerous eateries to bring lower calorie food choices to the forefront. Today, popular healthy fast food menu items include the likes of Chicken Garden Salads, Strawberry-Flavored Applesauce, 2% Milk, Bacon Ranch Salad, Apple Dippers

, and Fruit-n-Yogurt Parfait.

Making healthy fast food decisions is not boring. Consider it a journey into healthy dinning. Bon Appetit!

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Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that can develop in pleura (the lung lining), peritoneum (membranes of internal organs in the abdominal cavity) and in pericardium (the heart lining).

Mesothelioma is a very rare type of cancer that develop in the outer membrane of some internal organs of the human body, it may develop in the outer membrane of the lungs which known as the pleura, may develop in the outer membrane of the internal organs in the abdominal cavity and may develop in the outer membrane of the heart which known as the pericardium.Pleural mesothelioma or the cancer of lung lining is the most common type of mesothelioma cancer and often be associated with the asbestos exposure. Asbestos are several minerals that was used in the manufacturing companies, workers which was in the asbestos environment are the most people who can develop mesothelioma due to the direct contact with the asbestos particles, by inhalation asbestos fibers can enter the chest cavity and settle in the pleura (the lung lining) and cause chronic inflammation which may cause malignant tumors after several years.Pericardial mesothelioma is less common than pleural mesothelioma and related to asbestos exposure, in this type the asbestos particles settle in the pericardium (the heart lining). Scientists don’t know how asbestos can get in pericardium, there is an imagine way in which asbestos particles are transfered from the pleura to blood steam then to the heart, the heart bumbs them to the pericardium and the disease start to grow there.Peritoneal mesothelioma is another type of mesothelioma and affects the peritonium. Peritonium is the outer membrane of internal organs in the abdominal cavity. Peritoneal mesothelioma is often related to asbestos exposure.Mesothelioma symptoms may be shortness of breath, cough, chest pain and general weakness. Mesothelioma diagnosis is very difficult, as its symptoms are very similar to other kinds of diseases take very long time to appear 25-50 years. The options of treatments are confined to surgery

, chemotherapy ( special chemicals to kill the cancerous cells) and radiotherapy ( using some kind of radiations to get rid of the cancerous cells).

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When I initially read the article on a newer fat melting procedure, I thought “Oh boy, here we go again, another gimmick in the world of fat loss”. Whenever I hear the words “melt” and “fat” in the same sentence, call me crazy, but I tend to be a bit skeptical because we all know that you cannot melt the fat off or out of your body, no matter how badly we’d all like to at times. Enter Lipolysis, a new fat reduction procedure…

When I initially read the article on a newer fat melting procedure, I thought “Oh boy, here we go again, another gimmick in the world of fat loss”. Whenever I hear the words “melt” and “fat” in the same sentence, call me crazy, but I tend to be a bit skeptical because we all know that you cannot melt the fat off or out of your body, no matter how badly we’d all like to at times.

However, upon reading a bit more, I realized that this newer termed procedure to get rid of smaller pockets of body fat, called Lipolysis, is much like another, fairly controversial, method of fat and celllulite removal called Mesotherapy which originated in France years ago.

The common theme to these procedures is that they both use injections that are administered subcutaneously, which release varying mixtures of substances they claim destroy fat cells and rid the treated areas of bulges and excess inches.

Practitioners of Lipolysis and Mesotherapy are careful to say that it is not a weight loss method, but rather a body sculpting method, which will help to sculpt the body, and mold it by getting rid of stubborn areas, such as belly bulges, under-chin fat which tends to be extremely stubborn, and areas of the arms and sides of the belly that have that fat that never seems to budge.

The main difference between Lipolysis and Mesotherapy as I understand it, is what is actually injected. Mesotherapy is a tad confusing, and I’m not even sure if they’ve divulged exactly what is in the solution injected with Mesotherapy, except to say that it is a natural, homeopathic mixture in a solution that destroys fat cells.

With Lipolysis, it is clear what actually goes into the solution injected into patients fatty areas, but critics say that it is not clear that there is any standard for mixing the solution, and one patient may get a higher concentration of one ingredient than another, since the solution is not yet FDA approved.

The solution is varying parts of the following ingredients : phosphatidylcholine, a soybean derivative, and sodium deoxycholate, a bile salt. The mixture is called PCDC, and it is mixed in pharmacies, however there is no standardization, which is why it is receiving a lot of criticism, mostly from the plastic surgery field.

Go figure. I’m sure some of the criticism has to do with the fact that this newer treatment may take business away from liposuction, which is only performed by board certified plastic surgeons, and that may be some of the reason for the heated debate over Lipolysis and other non-FDA approved fat reduction procedures.

But they also may have a good point in that the solution is not standardized, and the long term effects of Lipolysis have never been studied.

Results reported from Lipolysis have varied, as with many other comsetic procedures. Many women have reported excellent results, and would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for inch loss or spot fat reduction. Some say that the pain is more than minor with each injection, and there have been some reports of allergic reactions, as well as minimal results.

Almost every cosmetic procedure has some risk of allergic reaction or of simply not giving the results desired, so this is to be expected, and I do not think the amount of reports in this case warrant calling this procedure “ineffective” or “unsafe”, but the one thing that would concern me is that we are injecting an unstandardized solution into our bodies, and destroying fat cells by rupturing them.

Then where does the fat go after it is destroyed? If the fat catches in areas where it cannot be easily eliminated by the body as waste, this could also present a problem, and critics are quick to cite the fact that there are no concrete studies or evidence to show that the destroyed fat cells are processed and eliminated by the liver, as the advocates of Lipolysis claim.

So, onto another important point about Lipolysis. What is the cost? That is really on the forefront, since the cost benefit appears to be the reason that many women are choosing this over liposuction. That, and the fact that it is technically uninvasive since there is no surgery involved, and no downtime as with liposuction, which is considered to be a fairly painful surgery with a long recovery time which minimizes life activities.

The cost runs around $1,000 to $3,000 per body area. I’m not exactly sure what that covers, but it no doubt ranges depending on where you live, since geographical area dictates the costs of elective cosmetic procedures most times. This could be considerably less than liposuction to eliminate stubborn fatty areas if it works, since it is both less time consuming and would most likely end up being more economical.

This procedure may be worth looking into if you have smaller, more concentrated areas of fat that won’t go away, but perhaps a little more time should pass, and even better, the process should get FDA approval, before this becomes the next big thing. After all

, what good is looking great and feeling good if you’re unintentionally doing something detrimental to your body in the end?

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You don’t know what you got till it’s gone; you don’t appreciate it until it happens to you…blah, blah, blah. Such are the clichйs and sentiments of those of us who get into a major accident and the insurance company of the offending driver, the drunk who slammed into you, refuses full retribution

Those are the tunes played by those of us who lose a partner or spouse to another because we were too demanding, too difficult, too different. And those are the hackneyed statements, the only trite and obvious things we can come up with to utter when we find out our best friend of twenty-nine years has a unique form of cervical cancer that might allow her to live, oh, another year at most.Yes, my friend has cervical cancer, what is less familiarly known as invasive endometrial adenocarcinoma. You understand “invasive” and from human sexuality class way back you get the “endometrial” part. But what you cannot seem to wrap your brain around is carcinoma…cancer. She is your age, which, last time you knew, was NOT old, was not dying time. But the condition she is in is that of what 5% of all other cervical cancer patients have survived. The other 95% had lesser complications: the cancer had not spread to the lymph nodes, which are very soft, very fleshy, very vulnerable to a corrosive agent chomping its way through human tissue.If you are smart or have a strong stomach, you do a search for the causes, effects, symptoms, treatments, outcomes, support groups, and residual fallout of cervical cancer. You might find statistics: 500,000 cases worldwide; 300,000 die. 10,370 in US will be diagnosed with it; 3,710 will die. Mortality rates have declined by 50% over the last three decades.Treatment includes cryogenics-freezing of the dysplasia, which is the culprit in its earliest stages (which was in your best friend when she was 20). Treatment might be preceded by a colposcopy-the use of a special scope (with a 40X magnifying power) that allows for examination of the cervix. It might mean laser surgery-wherein the offending growth (also called metastasis) is burned off/out. Treatment might include early conization-meaning a biopsy is done by taking a cone of the cervical canal. It might also require or point to the need for radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, depending upon the severity, urgency, and choices the cervical cancer patient makes.Cervical cancer works its way in stages, or exists in areas that are measured in stages: in stage I, the cancer invades the cervix beneath the top layer of cells. In stage II, the cancer extends beyond the cervix into nearby tissues, to the upper part of the vagina, and/or to the pelvic wall. In stage III, the cancer extends to the lower part of the vagina, and may be spreading into the pelvic wall and nearby lymph nodes. And in stage IV, the cancer has extended to the least protected or defensible parts of the body-the bladder, rectum, and/or other organs and parts of the body.My friend has been found to have stage III cervical cancer, which may have reached the lymph nodes in the lungs. If this is the case, which we will know in six days, when the latest tests come back to her brilliant staff of oncologists and specialists. In some respects, she is lucky. She has been a health care provider to the elderly (as she is a clinical nurse specialist in the top of her field) for twenty years. So she will have that Florence Nightingale Clara Barton karma returned tenfold. At the same time, the numbers are not good for her stage of cervical cancel, despite what I think is a shockingly young age-45. In other respects, then, she aint so “lucky” and I am reeling from the surreality of our friendship coming to an end in the corporeal sense after we have been through so much worse it seemed at the time

, and after we have used survival humor through it all. What else can you do?

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Of late, I’ve been having a bad dose of luck as far as my health is concerned. Fatigue, stress and a unhealthy lifestyle have been taking a toll on my health. A visit to the doctor too confirmed my worst fears. And I found that I too had become a statistic - I had high blood pressure

Although I took the advice the doctor gave me as well as the medicines he prescribed, my busy working schedule did not leave me with sufficient time to go to the clinic to monitor my blood pressure frequently. So I decided to shop for a simple and effective blood pressure monitor.Surprisingly, there are a number of models available in the market. There are the very simple blood pressure monitors that are manually operated. You might have seen these blood pressure monitors with some of the older doctors in your city. It looks like a bread box and opens up to reveal a U tube with mercury in it. A rubber hose is attached to a pad that is wound around your arm. An attached rubber ball is squeezed to increase and decrease the air pressure. And you can thus monitor your blood pressure. In clinical terms, such blood pressure monitors are known as aneroid blood pressure monitors There is also a variation of the blood pressure monitor I saw, which uses a dial gauge to tell the pressure. Of course, such blood pressure monitors are not easy to use and operate and require a certain degree of skill. And being the lazy person that I am, I needed something that was far more convenient.My next stop brought me in touch with the latest in the blood pressure monitor world. While the earlier blood pressure monitor has literally been banned from use in most hospitals, the varieties I saw in this store were the latest and the best. And almost all of them were what have come to be know and accepted as digital blood pressure monitors. There were portable, wrist model blood pressure monitors, there were other blood pressure monitors that came with in built printers, there were slightly more advanced blood pressure monitors that compiled reports for ease of measurement and even blood pressure monitors with memory to keep track of your latest fifty or hundred readings. The breadth and scope of blood pressure monitors available was astounding.I finally managed to pick a blood pressure monitor that was small and compact, while being the latest in digital blood pressure monitoring systems. It also came with a detailed instruction booklet on how to take care of the blood pressure monitor, how to ensure that it functions effectively and, best of all, a booklet on how to use the blood pressure monitor to get rid of my high blood pressure! The very helpful salesman also took the time to tell me about the possibilities of errors that digital blood pressure monitors could have. Of course, he did so only when I had chosen and paid for the monitor, but I’m glad he did. For how else would I know that digital blood pressure monitors have a tendency to indicate erroneous readings if the body movements are vast and the heart rate is irregular. And using the same blood pressure monitor on different arms

, could lead to different results!

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Anxiety and depression are by far the two most common mental illnesses diagnosed in the United States, and probably the world, although there haven’t been studies done to confirm it. They both can be debilitating in their effects, and are very difficult disorders to live with

Unfortunately, most people with anxiety and depression do just that; live with it. Most studies done of the diseases show that more than 75% of people who are clinically depressed go without treatment, as well as over 90% of people with anxiety disorders.This is especially disturbing, since both anxiety and depression are the most treatable forms of mental illnesses there are. There are a variety of medications that are available today to treat both anxiety and depression, and there are a lot of helpful resources out there that can help find the road to recovery from your symptoms. The two diseases are not fully understood, but are definitely related in some key ways. People suffering from anxiety disorders are many times more likely to also suffer from depression than someone without an anxiety condition. The same is true with people suffering from depression, in that they are more likely to also have an anxiety disorder. It is not surprising then that many of the anxiety and depression treatments are similar or even exactly the same. Traditionally, anxiety disorders have been treated with the use of sedatives. The first and most famous sedative used to treat anxiety is alcohol. Due to its toxic effects and highly addictive nature, barbiturates quickly replaced alcohol as a treatment for anxiety after their introduction to the medical world in 1912. Of course, it was soon realized that barbiturates suffer from many of the same drawbacks as alcohol, and today benzodiazapines have all but completely replaced barbiturates in anxiety treatment. While benzodiazapines are effective in treating anxiety, they too are highly addictive chemicals, and can actually make the symptoms of depression worse. So if you are worried about addiction, or are suffering from both anxiety and depression, you should avoid using sedatives of any kind to treat your symptoms. There are likewise some drugs that are good for treating certain forms of depression, but will actually worsen an anxiety disorder. Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors, such as Wellbutrin, have been shown effective in the treatment of depression, but are not recommended if you also suffer from anxiety. The SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are medications that are effective in treating both anxiety and depression. Support groups, therapy, counseling, exercise, and a healthy diet, are all non-pharmaceutical ways of treating both disorders. If you suspect that you suffer from anxiety and depression, or either one, you should see a doctor. Both disorders are highly treatable

, but will likely only get worse without taking steps to recover.

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I talk to a lot of people about diabetes and it seems that rarely do people give any thought at all about diabetes in dogs. Canine diabetes is on the increase to be sure.

There is really no difference with diabetes in people as it is in dogs, cats, or other animals. What can you do to protect your pet from getting diabetes? Here are some helpful tips.

Take a quick look at how and what you feed your dog. Are they being fed the proper diet? Is it drinking excessive amounts of water? Has your dog been gaining a great deal of weight suddenly, or likewise, losing a lot of weight for no reason? Do you notice them urinating more than normal? These could all be symptoms or an early warning sign of diabetes in dogs. I would suggest an annual medical check up for your pet to be sure.

If the results come back positive, and in fact has canine diabetes, it is a manageable disease. There are steps you can take in treating the disease. Have your dog’s insulin checked. A good vet can easily take care of this. They will take a blood draw from the animal’s body and test it. Your first duty is to get the glucose level to normal.

If your dog requires insulin shots, it works the same way as it does in people. When starting out it may seem extremely difficult, and your dog may not want to give you a whole lot of cooperation, but as time goes on, it will get better. Animals have a way of getting in routines just as humans do.

You also want to prepare yourself in the event your pet has a health emergency. See if some other members of your family will get some training with you in case you’re not there. Of course, the main responsibility of the day to day treatment will be yours, but if you are not there it should be left to one particular individual in the family.

Keep a record of your dog’s day-to-day health. Make notes on anything unusual. It would also be a good idea to have other important information wrote down that includes: the vet’s emergency phone number, steps to follow in case of too much insulin, precautions to be taken if the needle breaks and possibly what to do in the event of a seizure.

The biggest issue with diabetes in dogs is to be sure and monitor their blood glucose level. Your doctor may recommend bringing your dog in periodically to monitor the glucose levels.

Again, things can seem somewhat overwhelming at first with canine diabetes

, but everything will even itself out in time. Dogs are wonderful animals and your pet is certainly worth the effort to protect their health and allow them to lead a happy and healthy life. Keep an eye on the early warning signs of diabetes and take action if you see anything unusual.

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Gastroesophogeal reflux disorder (GERD) or more commonly referred to as ‘acid reflux’ disease is a painful and common disorder in adults of all ages, particularly in people 40 and over

The disorder is caused by the juices of the stomach backing up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation and sometimes damaging the lining of the esophagus itself. The burning sensation is also referred to as ‘heart burn’, since it is often felt in about the same place the heart rests in the chest cavity. Many of the digestive enzymes of the stomach, such as pepsin, work best at an extremely low pH, or in other words a very acidic environment. It is for this reason that ‘parietal’ cells of the stomach lining produce and pump large quantities of the chemical hydrochloric acid into the stomach. Stomach fluids are therefore highly acidic, reaching pH’s as low as 1, which is about ten times more acidic than common battery acid, and a million times more acidic than water. It is this acid that causes the discomfort and damage associated with acid reflux disease.The disorder can develop for a number of reasons. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that a likelihood to develop the disease can be genetic. Also, any trauma or injury to the esophageal sphincter, the circular muscle responsible for keeping stomach fluids out of the esophagus, can lead to the disorder. Such injury can be caused by frequent vomiting, or by a hiatal hernia. The bad news is that once you develop acid reflux disease, you are going to have it for life. The good news is there are a wide variety of excellent treatments for the disorder that are now available, some by prescription and some over the counter. There are also a number of measures people can take to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux in addition to the use of medication. There are three basic medication types popularly used for acid reflux. The first and most famous being the ‘antacids’, which all use some kind of strong base such as calcium carbonate, or magnesium carbonate to neutralize the acid of the stomach. Though fast acting, these treatments only last a short period and are not recommended for use in treating reoccurring heart burn. Some examples of antacids include Tums, Rolaids, and Alka-Seltzer. Like antacids, ‘acid reducers’ are available over the counter but they work by actually lowering the amount of acid produced by the stomach and are usually effective for a longer period of time. The more popular acid reducers include Zantac, and Pepcid AC. Acid reducers are often enough to counter milder forms of acid reflux disorder, but more moderate forms of the disease may require a doctor prescribed ‘proton pump inhibitor’ (PPI). PPI’s also function by lowering the amount of acid produced by the stomach, though by a different mechanism than acid reducers. For this reason they can be safely be used in conjunction with acid reducers. Some PPI’s include Prilosec, Prevacid, and Aciphex. Prilosec has recently been made available over the counter

, though its continued use should be only be done under the advice of a medical professional.

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