INDIGESTION HEARTBURNWhat is it?"I would like to find a stew that will give me indigestion heartburn immediately, instead of at three o'clock in the morning." - writer John Barrymore This is a condition that mostly is not serious, but causes sufferers untold grief in the early hours. John Barrymore was certainly not the first to complain, and going by the number of antacids sold, it's on the increase. Oddly, antacids only aggravate the underlying problem which is only rarely TOO MUCH acid, mostly it's TOO LITTLE. Indigestion heartburn in essence is a disturbance of the normal function of the stomach. It could be pathological, like an ulcer or cancer, but usually isn't. It could be anatomical, like a defective valve that should prevent the contents of the stomach refluxing back up the oesophagus. It could be emotional, like anger or bearing a grudge. "You don't get ulcers from what you eat. You get them from what's eating you." - Edith Baum The contents of the stomach is extremely acid to enable the enzymmes to effectively digest protein in the stomach, which must occur before proteins enters the next part of the gut, the duodenum. This is quite normal and it should not be concluded that too much acid is the cause of your Indigestion Heartburn. Quite the contrary, too little acid, leaving poorly digested proteins, may be the cause of your heartburn. The other effect of taking antacids is to allow those partly digested proteins through into the small intestine. If these long chains of proteins are absorbed into the blood stream, they will cause obscure allergic reactions (like hayfever and autoimmune diseases) in the body when your immune system thinks they are foreign matter. "He was woken early by borborygmus as his insides fermented and his intestines ballooned with gas beyond their capacity." - Ruth Dudley Edwards HIATUS HERNIA
The lungs and heart of the chest cavity are separated from the stomach and intestines by a large muscle called the diaphragm, through which the oesophagus must pass on the way to the stomach. In some people, the hiatus or hole in the diaphragm weakens and enlarges. It's not known why this occurs. It may be hereditary, or it may be caused by obesity, exercises such as weightlifting, or straining at stool. Whatever the cause, a portion of the stomach herniates, or moves up, into the chest cavity through this enlarged hole. Hiatus hernias are very common, occurring in up to 60 percent of older folk. The stomach is lined with a thick mucus to prevent the acid from attacking the stomach wall. However the oesophagus is not so protected. Should the valve that seals off the stomach be defective, then strong acid refluxes back into the oesophagus where it may attack the lining which has no protection, causing indigestion heartburn. Even so, antacids are not the solution to the problem - dealing with the muscle called the diaphragm which forms the valve. The contents of the stomach is the critical subject. This is mediated by many different processes such as the amount of fluid in the stomach, the mixtures of different foods in the stomach, the nerve supply to the both the muscles and the glands that produce both acid, and enzymes and other substances. FROM THE COAL FACE'Doctor, do you think you can help my dad. He has terrible backache.''That's an odd question, Minky. I treat bad backs all day long. You know that.' 'Yes, of course, but his doctor says his problem is far too serious for a chiropractor.' 'Well, is his doctor's treatment helping?' 'No, he's been getting terrible Indigestion Heartburn and now blood in the stool, and his doctor says he has to stop taking the medicine. Now he's a bear with a sore back and so much heartburn indigestion!' Minky had been a patient for nearly two years. She suffered from regular miserable headaches that put her to bed for several days in the month before she started consulting me. 'Suggest your dad comes for a free consultation, Minky. It will involve an abreviated examination, but no treatment, to help him decide if Chiropractic could help him. Tell him to bring his X-rays, if he has any.' The upshot was that Minky's dad had a very routine problem in the low back. Once he had had a course of about ten treatments, was doing all his exercises, and came for an occasional visit every two or three months, his problem became only a minor irritant in his life. His eyes opened wide when I told him that 14 000 people had died in the USA in one year from gastric bleeds from taking anti-inflammatories. It remains a mystery to me why doctors can think a back too serious for a chiropractor, but they are prepared to risk the patient's life with medication that their own research declares kills
tens of thousands every year. If you enjoy reading then you will enjoy these books by chiropractor Bernard Preston. He will keep you laughing as he retells his short stories from the clinic. Stories that will also help you be healthier and happier, and able to look forward to old age, instead of dreading it. Sound good?
HICCUPINGHiccuping is a reflex contraction of the Diaphragm muscle, causing a sudden intake of breath that snaps the epiglottis closed. A hic. Irritation of the Phrenic nerve roots (C3-C4-C5), the nerve itself or one of the tissues supplied by the Phrenic nerve are the usual causes.TREATMENTAsk your chiropractor to check yourFollow one or all of these simple rules if you suffer from Indigestion heartburn:
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