{"id":3414,"date":"2023-07-07T18:10:18","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T22:10:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/?p=3414"},"modified":"2023-07-07T18:10:20","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T22:10:20","slug":"can-stress-worsen-acid-reflux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/can-stress-worsen-acid-reflux\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Stress Worsen Acid Reflux?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Many of us are familiar with the ways stress can manifest in our bodies, from sweaty palms and racing hearts to a nervous stomach and tension headaches. Some people notice an increase in <a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/ent\/acid-reflux\/\">acid reflux <\/a>during times of high stress. Let&#8217;s look at why that might happen, as well as the best ways to manage your symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>What is Acid Reflux? <\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"823\" src=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3760137-1280x823.jpg\" alt=\"Young man standing against a wall looking stressed.\" class=\"wp-image-3417\" srcset=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3760137-1280x823.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3760137-768x494.jpg 768w, https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3760137-1536x988.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3760137-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Frequent acid reflux also referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter does not close properly and allows stomach acid to rise up into the esophagus. This can cause many unpleasant symptoms, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Heartburn that may worsen after eating or lying down<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sour taste in the mouth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pain in the chest or upper abdomen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Postnasal drip<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sore throat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/ent\/chronic-cough\/\">Chronic cough<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trouble swallowing or feeling like there\u2019s a lump in your throat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2>The Connection Between Stress and Acid Reflux Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Several studies have found a link between stress and experiencing acid reflux symptoms. Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>A 2004 study found that the prevalence of severe or sustained stress over a six-month period <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.lww.com\/psychosomaticmedicine\/Abstract\/2004\/05000\/The_Effect_of_Life_Stress_on_Symptoms_of_Heartburn.23.aspx\">significantly predicted increased heartburn symptoms<\/a> during the next few months.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A study published in 2015 asked almost 13,000 acid reflux sufferers what lifestyle factors contributed to their symptoms, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstage.jst.go.jp\/article\/internalmedicine\/54\/7\/54_54.3056\/_article\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">with 45.6% of patients answering<\/a>, \u201cfeelings of continued stress.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Additionally, a 2007 study found that exposing GERD patients to acute auditory stress <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gastrojournal.org\/article\/S0016-5085(07)02171-3\/fulltext?referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthline.com%2Fhealth%2Fgerd%2Fstress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increased their heartburn symptoms.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2>Tips for Managing GERD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If stress exacerbates your GERD symptoms, know that there are several steps that you can take to help control your symptoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Manage your stress levels<\/strong>. While it often feels easier said than done, taking steps to manage your stress levels can benefit every aspect of your life, including your acid reflux symptoms. Consider breathing exercises, cognitive behavioral therapy, taking a yoga or Tai Chi class or other methods to bring relaxation into your daily life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make dietary changes<\/strong>. Diet plays a huge role in acid reflux for many people. While not everyone has the same triggers, it\u2019s best to try to avoid foods that are high in fat, fried, spicy or citrusy, in addition to limiting your consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Instead, focus on foods that are high in fiber, lean protein and healthy fats when shopping at Health Food Shoppe of Fort Wayne.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Visit an ENT specialist<\/strong>. If lifestyle changes aren\u2019t enough to curb your symptoms, visit a specialist who can help find the right medications and other factors that can reduce your reflux in times of stress.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the experts at <span class=\"company-name \">Ear, Nose &amp; Throat Associates<\/span> today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><ul class=\"related-posts\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/whats-causing-that-tightness-in-my-throat\/\" class=\"related-post\">What\u2019s Causing That Tightness in My Throat?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/the-impact-of-smoking-on-ent-health-risks-and-recovery\/\" class=\"related-post\">The Impact Of Smoking On ENT Health: Risks and Recovery<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/what-causes-white-spots-on-the-throat\/\" class=\"related-post\">What Causes White Spots on the Throat<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many of us are familiar with the ways stress can manifest in our bodies, from sweaty palms and racing hearts to a nervous stomach and tension headaches. Some people notice an increase in acid reflux during times of high stress. Let&#8217;s look at why that might happen, as well as the best ways to manage&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3417,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","schema":"","fname":"","lname":"","position":"","credentials":"","placeID":"","no_match":false,"name":"","company":"","review":"","address":"","city":"","state":"","zip":"","lat":"","lng":"","phone1":"","phone2":"","fax":"","mon1":"","mon2":"","tue1":"","tue2":"","wed1":"","wed2":"","thu1":"","thu2":"","fri1":"","fri2":"","sat1":"","sat2":"","sun1":"","sun2":"","hours-note":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3414"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3414"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3419,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3414\/revisions\/3419"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entfortwayne.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}