Acid Reducer [Annoying Side Effects and Symptoms]
Of course, acid reducers provide relief to their discomfort for many people, either entirely or to a certain degree. However, do such medications also come with side effects?
Sometimes, the medications a clinical pharmacist prescribes regularly are the ones that we may not give too much thought to; however, could they be the ones causing untold concerns for the people taking them? Let us take a closer look at acid reducer side effects to see what we should keep in mind when prescribing drugs for patients or giving advice on a more natural route to take.
Bacterial Defense
Acid reflux is very closely related to inflammation. In particular, the throat suffers from inflammation when a person has acid reflux. Those who suffer from GERD, a more severe form of reflux, may feel a burning sensation within the chest area.
Since an acid reducer’s role is that of working to lower the acid level within the stomach, there is a possibility that the stomach’s line of defense against microorganisms may be affected. One organism which may be a particular risk is Clostridium. Some studies point to the chance that people who take acid reducer could be at higher risk of becoming sick with this organism than those who do not. Such studies also consider the link between acid reducers and pneumonia.
For people taking acid reducers, your patients must be fully aware that the development of severe watery diarrhea is a warning sign.
Nutrient Absorption
Some vitamins require acid so that they can be fully absorbed and used by the body. For example, vitamin B12 requires acid to help with absorption and so that the body can make use of the intake of the vitamin. Other vitamins and minerals which may be affected when it comes to being absorbed by a person who has acid reducer side effects would include magnesium and calcium.
Of course, the idea that the body cannot fully absorb the person’s calcium is undoubtedly a cause for concern. It may result in weaker bones due to low bone mineral density and a higher chance of bone fractures in the patient if they prove to be calcium deficient. It would be wise for patients who regularly take stomach acid reducers to have their reticulocyte count and blood levels of various vitamins and minerals monitored.
Acid Indigestion
Health care practitioners tend to do all they can to ensure that their patients keep a healthy diet plan. Likely this is one of the essential topics that you discuss with patients when they come to your practice. However, it would be a sad scenario if patients could not get the full benefit from the food they consume, even if they were working hard to follow your medical advice and keep a healthy diet, ensuring that they get their five a day and so forth.
Since stomach acid is needed to break down food and allow the body to use it to the full, it would make sense that a stomach lacking in acid would not be able to do its job to an optimum level. Hence a person may be working hard to have a healthy lifestyle, yet their body only sees part of their hard work; not exactly a win-win situation for your patients or you as their hard-working and dedicated provider.
Other Acid Reducer Side Effects
We have discussed several potential acid reducer side effects in quite a significant amount of detail. Of course, there are numerous other side effects, both minor and severe, which may occur to a person who regularly takes an acid reducer or even someone who takes such medication on an occasional basis.
- Headaches
- Pain in the abdomen
- An irregular heartbeat
- Rash on the nose or cheeks
- Joint pain
- Swelling of the face or tongue
- Dizziness
- Breathing problems
Many side effects may occur to people who take acid reducers regularly or to those who occasionally take them or use the drug for the first time. However, is there another solution for such patients? Of course, it is up to each practitioner to assess the seriousness of the issue for their patients and decide whether an acid reducer will have benefits that outweigh the potential side effects that the patient may develop.
Health practitioners need to remember that serious side effects are not limited to immediate reactions but rather to a long-term view of how the regular intake of such medication could impact the later life of the patient.
BioScan Can Help Practitioners
As we know, within medicine, many conditions are related to inflammation within the body, and acid reflux certainty is not an exception. A practitioner needs to get a sense of the individual’s overall health and well-being. In a sense, they need to open their system and take a good look inside to see what is going on.
When the health care quality gains a full picture of their patient’s status, they are in a much better position to provide the help they need. Taking such an approach can help all healthcare providers surely want to do; fix the problem, not just suppress the symptoms.
That is where BioScan can come into its own within the world of health and medicine. It is like being able to unzip the system and see what is going on, why it is happening, and what you need to do to provide them with the best protocol.
Of course, there is more that you likely want to know about a patient so that you can genuinely guide them on the road to recovery. For instance, knowing whether there are any allergens or other stressors that negatively impact their body and hence complicating conditions that already exist, perhaps aggravating an acid reflux issue.
You also benefit from a plotted report that gives a thorough analysis of the 14 major systems within the body of the patient and different meridians, all of which have an impact on health and well-being, as well as more specific conditions.
Indeed, these are just some of the benefits that come with using BioScan for your patients. As a health care provider, it allows you to explore a holistic method of keeping your patients in good health and combining this with the wealth of medical information and experience you already have as the professional responsible for their care.
Acid Reducer Side Effects
There is no doubt that pretty much any medication which a doctor or pharmacist prescribes to patients will run the risk of having some side effects in one way or another. Some medications have very rare implications, and others can significantly impair the health and well-being of the patient, whether such issues show up now or in the future.
We want to do all that we can to ensure that our patients benefit from the best quality of life. This means we can provide an exceptional level of care for patients by working closely with holistic medicine.
Certainly, stomach acid reducers have their place in the world of medicine, yet if we can provide patients with a natural remedy that may limit or even prevent their prolonged use, surely this would be a good route for us to take.