What Is Hyperacidity?

Hyperchlorhydria, also known as hyperacidity, is one of the common symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders. Moderate gastric acid can help digestion, but if too much acid will hurt the stomach and duodenal mucosa, causing diseases such as gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer. The human stomach continues to secrete gastric acid, its basic excretion rate is about 10% of the maximum excretion rate, and it changes day and night. It reaches a peak a few hours after falling asleep, and it is the lowest before waking up in the morning. Stomach acid (0.2% to 0.4% hydrochloric acid) in gastric juice can kill bacteria in food, ensure the safety of the stomach and intestines, and increase the activity of pepsin to help digestion. Gastric juice plays an important role in digesting food. Normal gastric juice is acidic, and it is 20 to 100 ml on an empty stomach. Exceeding 100 ml indicates an increase in gastric acid secretion. Under normal physiological conditions, a certain amount of gastric secretion is maintained. If the secretion is too much, the patient will feel stomach discomfort, a burning sensation in the stomach, acid swelling, nausea, and spitting water.

Basic Information

nickname: Stomach acid
English name: hyperchlorhydria

Visiting department: Gastroenterology
Common causes: Caused by stress, excessive fatigue, alcoholism, spicy food, etc.
Common symptoms: Upset stomach, burning sensation, acid reflux, belching, etc.

Causes of Hyperacidity

When life is irregular, mental stress, excessive fatigue, poor mood, heavy smoking, surgery, severe burns or bacterial infections, cerebral cortical dysfunction does not control the nerves of gastric acid secretion well, and promotes the increase of gastric acid secretion. Increased gastric acid can lead to chronic gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcers. Some drugs that are harmful to the stomach, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as aspirin, indomethacin), reserpine, and butapine, can cause increased gastric acid secretion. Improper diet, irregular meals, long-term alcohol abuse, spicy foods, too sweet, too salty, too spicy, too sour, too cold, or hot foods can all cause increased gastric acid secretion; some coarse grains, sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc. contain a lot of starch , Sugar, acid, etc., will stimulate the stomach to produce a large amount of gastric acid, in addition to non-digestible food, drink too much soda, the remaining sugar in the gastrointestinal tract will also induce pantothenic acid.

Clinical manifestations of hyperacidity

1. Swallow acid, nausea, spit acid water.

2. Heartburn, acid reflux, burning pain and discomfort, can be relieved by eating or taking alkaline drugs and acid suppression drugs.

3. Regular hunger pain and nocturnal pain can occur after ulcers occur.

Hyperacidity test

Gastroscopy can not only take biopsy, identify various types of gastric diseases, even gastric cancer, but also perform various treatments such as hemostasis. For complex conditions, or after anti-Helicobacter pylori, acid suppression and other treatment effects are not obvious, you can also choose 24- or 48-hour esophageal pH test, 24-hour gastric pH test, etc. according to the patient's condition to confirm the diagnosis.

Diagnosis of hyperacidity

To diagnose gastric acid-related diseases, the patient's symptoms are very important. For the vast majority of people, a doctor can confirm the diagnosis based on the complaining symptoms.

Gastric acid complications

Chronic gastritis

Increased gastric acid and damaged gastric mucosa will cause edema and bleeding, which will cause chronic gastritis.

Gastric ulcer

Too much gastric acid will cause gastric mucosa to be damaged by digestive corrosion, which will cause perforation of the stomach and intestines (we often say gastrointestinal ulcers).

3. Reflux esophagitis

It is mainly caused by gastric contents flowing back into the esophagus and irritating the esophageal mucosa.

4. Duodenal ulcer

Excessive gastric acid causes corrosive effects in the stomach, which can cause acid swallowing, nausea, and vomiting, and even cause severe consequences of gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer. It is a gastrointestinal ulcer, gastrointestinal stenosis obstruction, digestion that cannot be ignored. Tract tumor.

Treatment of hyperacidity

At present, the most important thing to understand about this disease is how to correctly diagnose and appropriate medical treatment. The complications that it may bring, such as esophageal ulcer, lower esophageal stricture or tumor, must be closely followed.

Drug treatment

(1) Application of antacids and proton pump inhibitors (PPI).

(2) Antacids are classified according to their effects: Absorptive antacids: such as sodium bicarbonate. Non-absorbable antacids: such as calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, aluminum hydroxide (tablet or gel), magnesium trisilicate, and the like. Liquid or powder antacids are more effective than tablets. If tablets are used, they should be chewed before swallowing. When antacids are used to neutralize gastric acid, care should be taken to increase the frequency of medication, and it is not possible to rely on increasing the dose of the drug. Generally, 1 hour and 3 hours after meals and 1 each before bedtime, 7 times a day is appropriate. The duration of antacid treatment should not be less than 3 months. Inorganic weakly alkaline substances can neutralize excessive gastric acid, reduce pepsin's ability to break down gastric wall proteins, weaken or relieve the corrosion and stimulating effect of gastric acid on the gastric and duodenal ulcer surface, and help to heal the ulcer surface. The purpose of antacid therapy is to make the ulcer heal completely, and the healing time usually takes 8 weeks. Symptoms often disappear long before the ulcer is fully healed. Therefore, the disappearance of symptoms should never be used as a criterion to stop antacid therapy. Otherwise, the symptoms will quickly reappear, which is actually the deterioration of the original ulcer rather than the recurrence of the disease. The duration of antacid treatment should not be less than 3 months.

2. Surgical treatment

If the symptoms of hyperacidity persist, surgery is needed to effectively relieve the symptoms.

3. Dietary guidance

(1) Do not eat frozen and very hot foods and beverages, the temperature of the diet should be moderate, and tea, water and soup should not be overheated.

(2) Do not eat too much spices, hot and sour foods. The diet is mainly light.

(3) Eat less spicy food, such as pepper, garlic, onion, chocolate, citrus fruits, mint, tomatoes, etc.

(4) A small amount of ginger and pepper can warm the stomach and enhance the protective effect of the gastric mucosa.

(5) No drinking or coffee. Especially alcohol, which irritates the stomach too much, will make the ulcer worse.

(6) The diet should be regular, and you should not overeating. It is best to eat less frequently. If you feel hunger or stomach upset, eat a small amount first.

(7) Don't eat before going to bed.

(8) Ban smoking after meals. It is better to quit smoking.

(9) Raise your head or bedside while sleeping.

Prognosis of hyperacidity

1. The reflux of acidic contents in the stomach is usually caused by excessive secretion of gastric acid, which is more common in functional indigestion, reflux esophagitis, gastric and duodenal ulcers and chronic gastritis.

2. More than 70% of busy white-collar workers with high pressure have had problems such as acid reflux and heartburn. The reason why white-collar workers have a high incidence of acid reflux is mainly because of work pressure and busy schedules. , Make the stomach in a tired state for a long time, thereby increasing the risk of stomach cramps.

3. Alcoholic beverages and acidic beverages and irritating spices are "dangerous molecules" that cause acid reflux in the stomach. Excessive fat will also delay gastric emptying, stimulate gallbladder contraction and secretion, and reduce esophageal sphincter pressure.

Prevention of hyperacidity

1. Habit changes

Symptoms of gastric acid reflux can be improved by changing lifestyle habits, such as not eating for two hours before going to bed, and raising your head while sleeping. Adjust your work rhythm and ensure adequate sleep to relieve work stress, relax your mind, and maintain a peaceful mind. In addition, exercise should be strengthened to enhance physical fitness.

2. Develop good eating habits

Three meals a day should be rationed regularly to reduce foods that stimulate the mucous membranes such as wine, coffee and fatty foods. Do not overeating, eat more protein-rich foods, eat less irritating foods, and avoid tobacco and alcohol, cold food and other damage to the stomach. The diet is mainly light. At the same time, we should pay attention to food hygiene, wash raw fruits and fruits, do not eat spoiled food.