HEALTH MATTERS
Diabetes And Acid
Reflux
By Kepha Nyanumba
A
cid reflux, also known as GERD,
is a common problem, affecting
millions of people worldwide. The
condition occurs when contents from your
stomach back up into your esophagus,
causing stomach acid to irritate the lining
of your esophagus. While acid reflux can
affect anybody and anytime, studies have
shown that the condition is common in
diabetics who have poor glucose control,
and is mostly caused by the damage of the
vagus nerve in the digestive system.
For most people, acid reflux is a
manageable condition. If left untreated,
though, acid reflux can lead to serious
complications. The condition causes
scarring over time as the tissue in the
esophagus tries to heal itself. Scar tissue
can cause the esophagus to become too
narrow (esophageal stricture). This can
make swallowing difficult and painful.
Stomach acid can enter into your lungs
causing serious harm and lung damage
that can make you more likely to have
chest congestion and wheezing.
What Are the Symptoms of
Acid Reflux? Diabetes Slows Your
Digestion…
Diabetes is a systemic disease that may
affect many organ systems, and the
gastrointestinal tract is no exception. As
with other complications of diabetes, the
duration of the disorder and uncontrolled
glucose is associated with more severe
gastrointestinal problems. Acid reflux
happens when your lower esophageal
sphincter doesn’t tighten or close
properly. This causes digestive juices and
other contents from your stomach to rise
up into your esophagus. High blood sugar can damage nerves
throughout the body. One of them is the
vagus nerve, which controls how quickly
your stomach empties. When it's damaged,
your digestion slows down and food stays
in your body longer. This condition can
make you have trouble controlling blood
sugar, feel full quickly when eating and
get heartburn and acid reflux.
Some of the common symptoms include
uncomfortable burning feeling in your
chest, which can radiate up toward your
neck. This feeling is often known as
heartburn. If you have acid reflux, you
might develop a sour or bitter taste at the
back of your mouth. It might also cause
you to regurgitate food or liquid from
your stomach into your mouth.
When the body moves food from the stom-
ach at a slow pace, bacteria has much more
time to grow and spread on ingested food,
and sometimes the body's natural defenc-
es, such as stomach acid, is not enough to
combat it, resulting in bacterial infections.
In addition, people with uncontrolled blood
glucose may be less capable of fighting off
infections due to their weak immune sys-
tem.
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When the body moves food from the
stomach at a slow pace, bacteria has
much more time to grow and spread on
ingested food, and sometimes the body's
natural defences, such as stomach acid,
is not enough to combat it, resulting in
bacterial infections. In addition, people
with uncontrolled blood glucose may be
less capable of fighting off infections due
to their weak immune system.
Acid reflux and sleep
quality
People who have diabetes often have
poor sleep habits, including difficulty
falling asleep or staying asleep. Some
people with diabetes get too much sleep
while others have sleep deprivation. Sleep
plays a vital role in good health and well-
being throughout your life. The way you
feel while you're awake depends in part
on what happens while you're sleeping.
During sleep, your body is working
to support healthy brain function and
maintain your physical health. In children
and teens, sleep also helps support growth