Can Stress Cause Acid Reflux?

You will come across many situations that will be extremely stressful in nature. It can be a result of a job interview, an office presentation, or any other similar situations. Acid reflux is a condition experienced by many when they are under stressful situations. Many surveys and studies have also shown that stress could also result in heartburn. To help the stomach calm down, many effective techniques have been suggested with the help of thorough research. The statistics show that about 40-50 million people in the world have complained about chronic acid reflux and stress to be one of the major factors in worsening the condition. Your lifestyle will also play a significant role in affecting as well as increasing the chances of having acid reflux.

The commonly observed symptoms associated to acid reflux are regurgitation and heartburn. Heartburn is a type of sensation experienced near the lower part of the ribcage and chest moving towards the throat. Whereas, regurgitation is the name given to the feeling one experiences when food returns back to the chest after swallowing it.

Studies have not been able to provide conclusive results to show the link between stress and stomach acid. But, it is believed by many experts that stress can make the human body sensitive to even small amount of acid that is produced in the body. Patients may report experiencing painful symptoms, but none have reported an increase in the amount of acid production the body while they are stressed. Stress may trigger chemical changes in the central nervous system which would make the pain receptors more sensitive. This means that a low amount of acid production could be perceived intensely by the body. It has also been found that stress could affect the production of prostaglandin, a lipid compound. This particular compound helps in protecting the stomach from getting damaged. This means that lower amount of lipid could the reason behind more discomfort.

Practicing relaxations techniques could be very helpful in reducing the harmful effects of acid reflux. Talking to your doctor with a detailed account of your medical history would also be very beneficial. Discussing with the doctor about the digestive system and stress would also help you gain insight on this topic. It is exceptionally important if you frequently experience acid reflux and you notice the symptoms worsening. Certain types of exercises like tai chi, yoga, listening to music, working out, doing creative work, going on vacation, taking less task, talking to a friend, going for walks, having more sex, getting more sleep, etc. could help you in beating stress. Some of the factors that are known to cause stress are high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, physical aches, irritability, moodiness, memory loss, depression, insomnia, and anxiety.

If the above mentioned points do not work for you, you can go with cognitive behavioural therapy in order to reduce the stress. This form of therapy will be helpful in letting go of the negative patterns of thoughts that result in excess stress. A moderate amount of stress is important for staying alert and focused, but if that continues for a longer duration, it could have major negative consequences.

See also: Can Stress Cause Acid Reflux? in Health Blog.