Bothered by Nighttime Heartburn Symptoms?
If heartburn has you pacing the floor at night, you're far from alone. A Gallup
survey for the American Gastroenterological Association reports that almost 80%
of people with heartburn reported having it at night.
But having heartburn symptoms at night is an important health issue for another reason as well.
When you lie down at night, your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes,
allowing acid from the stomach to flow up into the esophagus. This potentially
exposes your esophagus to acid over a long period of time and may lead to other
serious conditions.
Studies have shown that people who experience heartburn at night are also more likely to suffer from serious conditions such as erosive esophagitis.
This condition can develop when stomach acid churns up into the esophagus and
over time, can wear away (erode) the delicate tissue lining there; about 1 in 3
patients with acid reflux disease have this damage. Only your doctor can tell if
you have this condition.
If you have persistent heartburn 2 or more days a week, despite treatment, and
changes in lifestyle and diet, you may have acid reflux disease. The question is,
what to do? One solution many doctors recommend to their patients is prescription
NEXIUM, because taken as directed, one pill a day of prescription NEXIUM can provide
24-hour relief from heartburn symptoms. For many, NEXIUM can also help heal the
potential damage (erosions), which may be caused over time by acid reflux. Most
erosions heal in 4 to 8 weeks. Your results may vary.
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