Difficulty and pain when swallowing. Sore throat. Coughing. Wheezing. Vocal-cord inflammation. And, of course, the burning sensation in the chest known as heartburn. Sounds like you need an acid reflux treatment.

If you are one of the more than 60 million people in the United States who suffer from acid reflux disease and heartburn at least once a month, then you are familiar with acid reflux symptoms like these, which can range from annoying to very painful. But the effects of acid reflux disease – caused by recurrent backflow of acid and other stomach contents into the esophagus – are more than just physical.

A new survey conducted recently shows that acid reflux disease, also known as gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), can have a profound impact on emotional well-being as well as on activities of daily life.

For instance, 28 percent of sufferers say onsets of acid reflux adversely affect their sex lives, 51 percent report that symptoms keep them awake at night, arid 76 percent say the disease has affected them emotionally.

The surveyors conducted telephone interviews with 1017 acid reflux sufferers who may or may not have had erosive GERD. A more severe form of the disorder, GERD is known as “erosive” when the esophagus lining is damaged from long term acid exposure.

The survey also revealed that almost half (48 percent) of all respondents with acid reflux disease waited four months or more before going to a physician, and 25 percent waited more than a year.

Fortunately, acid reflux treatment is available for the discomfort associated with the disease. If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of this condition, talk to your doctor.

While over-the-counter remedies may be appropriate for relief of occasional heartburn, prescription acid suppressants called proton pump inhibitors (PPls) have been shown to be the most effective agents in eliminating acid reflux symptoms and also are very effective in managing and preventing complication associated with the condition.

Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium), the first PPI to be approved in the United States in more than four years for the treatment of erosive GERD and certain other related conditions, is now available in pharmacies. Aciphex has been shown in clinical trials to offer acid suppression with once-daily dosing and consistent symptom control with significantly effective healing rates in erosive GERD.

In clinical trials, Aciphex demonstrated a favorable side-effect profile. Headache was the most common side effect assessed as possibly related to  Aciphex (2.4 percent vs. 1.6 percent for placebo). Aciphex is contraindicated in patients with known sensitivity to rabeprazole, substitute benzimidazoles or any component of the formulation. As is the case for other acid reflux treatments like proton pump inhibitors, symptomatic response to therapy with Aciphex does not preclude the presence of gastric malignancy. Proton pump inhibitors, however, constitute an established class of drugs that has been shown to be safe and well-tolerated.

Indigestion