Pregnancy Woes: Acid Reflux versus Heartburn - A Quick Fix for the Burn

Never have I had it this bad...that burning sensation in my esophagus that makes my whole chest feel like it's on fire. Blame it on the baby that is taking up the entire space in my body and pushing up on my stomach...

It's called heartburn. And, it's like a fire in my chest.

During the third trimester, little munchkin in the belly takes up every centimeter of space, and then some, and puts pressure on the bladder, and every other organ inside of our bodies, including the stomach, therefore making the stomach react in a backwards way. 

Last night, I had to find a home remedy at about midnight, after hours of "sucking it up". I simply couldn't handle it anymore, and certainly couldn't sleep. But, before I could find a solution, I had to figure out whether it was acid reflux or heartburn...because you can't treat something if you don't know exactly what it is, right?

And, okay, maybe you think I'm stupid right now, but I realized while I was surfing the 'net for answers that I wasn't the only one who got the two confused.

Okay, the short of it is: Acid Reflux is the "action", and Heartburn is the "reaction".

Acid Reflux is what is actually happening inside of your body - it's when the contents of your stomach move back up the esophagus, which is NOT the natural way things flow, by the way, in case you didn't know. When this happens, stomach acid accompanies these contents and comes in contact with the soft and sensitive lining of the esophagus.

That's the burning...and the burning, that FIRE, is called Heartburn!

So, you actually have Heartburn. That terrible, horrible, no good, very bad burning feeling that won't go away, even if you drink water!

DO NOT DRINK CAFFEINATED beverages! They will exacerbate the LES, which is the lower esophageal sphincter. That's the flapper thing that's supposed to keep the food in the stomach. Yeah, if you have heartburn, your LES is not performing the way it's supposed to. It's being lazy, and the caffeine will make it even less lazy.

So, after a bit of research, some A-ha! moments, and a long swig of some honey, my heartburn was gone. I slept well, no more burning. No, the honey didn't stop the acid reflux, but what it did was coat my esophagus so that it wouldn't be affected by the acid burn.

While some of you may be tempted to toss some honey into some tea or coffee, I would strongly insist that you drink it straight from the bottle. The thicker the honey is, the better it will coat your esophagus.

Hopefully, this works for you as well as it worked for me. Good luck with the little one...if you're experiencing heartburn during pregnancy, you're probably pretty close to holding your new munchkin in your hands for the first time. :)

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Growing Up in the Age of Technology: How Are Your Children Being Affected?

Childhood today is a very different picture than it was in the past. Instead of seeing boys shooting hoops outside, you are more likely to find them cooped up indoors playing video games. And instead of seeing girls playing hopscotch, you'll more likely find them behind a computer screen.

All of the technology we cherish as adults also affects the way our children grow up. They are surrounded by cell phones and computers at home, at school and pretty much every where they look. What consequences does technology have on our children's development?

Communication Skills

The popularity of texting and social networking sites like Facebook has changed the way people, including kids and teenagers, talk to one another. These days, we are more likely to use abbreviated words in text messages than to make a phone call, much less talk in person.

Kids are growing up with a decreased value of real conversations and their social skills suffer for it. Conversing through texts and online messaging does not give kids the practice they need to express emotions and build confidence to meet new people in person.

Instant Gratification

Technology has also conditioned kids into feeling they should be able to get whatever they want instantly. Email and text messaging are forms of instant communication. The Internet is a resource of instant information that while educational can also prove to be dangerous.

Online, kids can look at pictures, download music, movies and games and talk to friends instantly. Sometimes, children don't understand the rest of the world doesn't work that way.

Dangers of Technology

Kids are also experiencing an increased amount of privacy in comparison to years before. They can send text messages or say things online parents may be completely unaware of. This is how tragic occurrences, like cyber-bullying, take place.

Sexting has also been a huge problem with teenagers. What they do not realize when sending photos to their boyfriend or girlfriend is those pictures live forever in the online world and can hurt them in the future.

Moderation

Despite all the problems technology may bring in raising children, the truth is it's really up to parents to decide how technology will affect their kids. Children who are allowed uncontrolled access to the Internet and cell phones may very well suffer developmentally.

It is possible, however, to simply pay attention to what kids are doing online, set parental blocks and put limits on cell phone usage. Technology comes with many risks, but also many blessings, there are even online schooling programs, from elementary all the way to college. While parents cannot protect their children every second of the day, most problems can be avoided with a little love and attention.

Author Bio: Michelle is an aspiring writer who currently works for an online college that offers a home health aide certificate program, among others. When she’s not working she loves writing about anything and everything and blogs as much as she can. She loves that blogging allows her to share her writing with an unlimited audience.

Tips on Talking to Your Teens about Prescription Drugs

As a follow-up to yesterday's post, today's post will help you broach the subject with your teen.

Drug abuse is not restricted to illegal substances that teenagers see on television. In fact, prescription drugs and items they can find on the shelves at a drug store are more of a threat because of how easy they are to get their hands on. Knowing how to talk to your teenager about these dangers is extremely important.

Make sure when you have this talk with your teen that you are not accusatory. You need to be calm and honest to avoid having the talk turn into a fight. Do some research about the dangers and let them know what you have learned. Do not pretend that you are an expert on the situation or they will be likely to tune you out. 

Also, try to incorporate them into the talk. If you sit there and lecture, it can become uncomfortable for them. You want to have an open dialogue about drugs with your teenager during this talk and going forward. Now is the time to build that relationship.

You also need to talk to your child about the dangers of peer pressure. Prescription drugs are easy to get a hold of. Teenagers can take them from their parents or grandparents. They can purchase them from dealers more easily than illegal drugs. They may have even been prescribed them for a legitimate purpose. When you are talking with your child, the most important idea to get across is that prescription drugs are just as dangerous as illegal drugs. This is true even if a friend is experimenting with them.

In order to be honest with your teenager, you cannot shelter them from the truth. This means that you have to give them specific knowledge about the drugs. Be honest about what prescriptions are in the house, from the family pet’s medication for arthritis, to antibiotics that were taken for an ear infection. Cover what they’re used for and what adverse effects they have if they are abused or even consumed just once in some instances. Be sure to also touch on the subject of their friends not needing to know what is kept in the cabinet, as their friends will be more likely to abuse prescription medication when they won’t be the ones to suffer consequences when found that medication is missing. 

To avoid this, just be honest. Talk about why someone would enjoy talking them, but also why it is such a bad idea, that there is potential that they could overdose, be hospitalized and could cause long term damage to the organs in the body. Touch on the subject of getting caught with the drugs, and how it could mean spending time in jail.

Prescription drugs are not something that should be taken lightly. Just as you would talk to your child about other dangers in the world, you need to teach them about dangers that are legal in the right circumstances.

Author Bio

Melisa Cammack has been freelance writing for several years and loves writing for parenting blogs the most. She is the busy mother of three even busier boys, wife to one over-sized and honorary “boy” and is kept entertained by their two golden retrievers, and the constant kicking from the child in her belly.
Melisa is currently promoting the Delray Recovery Center in Florida; learn more about their facilities and what programs they offer.

Five Signs your Teen is Abusing Prescription Painkillers

According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in 10 teens develops addiction to prescription drugs; in most instances, painkillers are the culprit. Research demonstrates that teens are more likely to abuse pain medications, such as Oxycotin and Percocet, which contain the powerful opiate oxycodone, than illegal street narcotics, such as cocaine or LSD. Methadone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, meperidine and fentanyl are other opiates that have become popular as recreational drugs for teens. Prescriptions drugs are more easily accessible and have the aura of being sanctioned drugs because they are doctor-approved. 

While signs that teens might be taking these powerful prescription medication are obvious to experts, many parents are oblivious because they don't know the telltale signs. 

Here are the top five signs that may indicate your child is abusing prescription painkillers:

1. Changes in Physical Appearance

 
Teens who are using prescription drugs often manifest physical changes related to the induced stress, side effects or changes in appetite that accompany excess medication.

The top physical change, experts say, is constant bloodshot eyes. This condition may accompany a sudden dependence on eye drops. Poor grooming is the next most common physical trait, with many teens refusing to shower, shave, change clothes, comb hair or brush their teeth. They instead adopt an overall slovenly appearance. Some teens stop eating altogether and suddenly drop weight in a short amount of time; other teens gain weight and eat more manically. Lastly, some high doses of painkillers might result in noticeable body shaking, particularly of the hands. 

2. Behavioral Changes

After physical transformation, behavior modification offers the next best clues into secret teen prescription drug abuse. According to research by the New York Department of Health, many teens experience mood shifts and energy shifts as result of becoming addicted to painkillers. One moment the teen might be sluggish and inattentive; the next moment, he might have spastic amounts of energy. Many teens begin regular vomiting, coupled with excessive use of mouthwash to cover up the smell. Speech patterns might also become slurred. 

School behavior might also change. The teen might become more rebellious or daring. She might suddenly stop caring about grades and experience a lack of achievement. A teen addicted to prescription painkillers might also quit all social or extracurricular activities and clubs.

3. Using Drug language

Many teens discuss their drug use in front of their parents, thinking the parents won't pick up on the slang. Parents must learn the code language. Vicodin is also called "vics" or "vice." Valium is known by teens as "benzos." Percocet is commonly called "percs" or "perks," which might sound innocent to the ears of an adult. Oxycotin might be harmlessly dubbed "OC."

4. Regular Occurrences of Missing pills or money

Many teens don't have to go far to fulfill their prescription drug cravings. Many just raid the family medicine cabinet. Parents should make a habit of keeping track of the number of all medications in the house and the exact number of pills. Even if a teen is prescribed painkillers for an ailment, parents must ration the drugs and oversee the dosage schedule. 

If teens have no prescription drugs in the house, they have been known to steal money and valuables to trade at school or in the community for prescription drugs. 

5. Relationship Changes

Teens on drugs often dump old friends and develop a network of new friends abruptly; many of them abuse drugs together as a bonding experience. Relatives may suddenly become unwanted by the drug-using teen; the teen might begin to shun family events and family time. In other cases, teens addicted to painkillers might avoid any and all relationship contact, preferring to become loners. 

Parents do not have to feel helpless in the fight to keep their teens away from prescription drug abuse. Seek out educational DVDs and books to share with your teen about the dangers of using prescription medication excessively. Don't be afraid to set rules and issue consequences if you notice suspicious behavior listed above. 

Author Bio

Jennie is an anti-drug advocate living in Florida. She recommends the Gulf Coast Drug Rehab Center for those battling drug addictions.