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Would Consuming Baking Soda With Water For Several Months Lead To Pain Above The Navel And Damage To The Digestive Tract?
I ve had acid reflux forever and have drank Baking soda water does wonderful but now I noticed when I eat i feel pain as the food goes down sometimes depending on what I eat it hurts all the way down to just above my belly button has years of baking soda have done damage to my insides
Tue, 16 Oct 2018
Hello and welcome,
From your query I assume you are highly likely suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is the inappropriate relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, resulting in the acid of the stomach coming up into the esophagus. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is used to neutralize excess stomach acid. But it should be used only for temporarily. When a patient presents to me with the similar symptoms I advice to stop using baking soda. Stomach cramps are possible side effect of long time use of baking soda. To much baking soda may also increase the stomach acid making the disease worse. I usually recommend proton pump inhibitors (eg, omeprazole, lansoprazole) to my patients to control the symptoms along with the following life style modifications:
-try to lose weight if obese, avoid foods that increase acidity of your stomach such as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, chocolate, or any spicy food.
-avoid eating within 3 hours of bedtime.
-sleep in a bed with a pillow elevating your head 6 to 8 inches.
If all of these measures do not improve your condition you may require the additional test- a 24-hour pH monitoring or upper endoscopy to confirm the etiology.
Also, (please) see your doctor if you have the disease present more than 5 years, any signs of anemia (easy fatigability, pallor), weight loss, difficulty or pain with swallowing (dysphagia or odynophagia). You should also have upper endoscopic evaluation in such cases.
I hope the above information will be helpful for you. Please, feel free to ask me if there is anything else you need to know.
Thank you,
Malik Amonov MD
From your query I assume you are highly likely suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is the inappropriate relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, resulting in the acid of the stomach coming up into the esophagus. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is used to neutralize excess stomach acid. But it should be used only for temporarily. When a patient presents to me with the similar symptoms I advice to stop using baking soda. Stomach cramps are possible side effect of long time use of baking soda. To much baking soda may also increase the stomach acid making the disease worse. I usually recommend proton pump inhibitors (eg, omeprazole, lansoprazole) to my patients to control the symptoms along with the following life style modifications:
-try to lose weight if obese, avoid foods that increase acidity of your stomach such as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, chocolate, or any spicy food.
-avoid eating within 3 hours of bedtime.
-sleep in a bed with a pillow elevating your head 6 to 8 inches.
If all of these measures do not improve your condition you may require the additional test- a 24-hour pH monitoring or upper endoscopy to confirm the etiology.
Also, (please) see your doctor if you have the disease present more than 5 years, any signs of anemia (easy fatigability, pallor), weight loss, difficulty or pain with swallowing (dysphagia or odynophagia). You should also have upper endoscopic evaluation in such cases.
I hope the above information will be helpful for you. Please, feel free to ask me if there is anything else you need to know.
Thank you,
Malik Amonov MD
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