How to determine what acidity of the stomach. Increased or decreased acidity of the stomach - how to determine at home? How to determine the pH of the stomach at home

O.I.Sinyova, Candidate of Medical Sciences

Decreased stomach acid is a leading cause of stomach cancer and other chronic diseases. The risk of developing these diseases is exacerbated by the uncontrolled and careless prescription of drugs and hydrochloric acid blockers. At the suggestion of pharmaceutical companies, the danger of taking them is not advertised. The fact is also diligently hidden that the main cause of heartburn in 95% is not an excess, but a lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. That is why finding out the state of stomach acidity is an important preventive measure and a serious step towards health.

To determine the acidity of the stomach, a special procedure is traditionally prescribed. To do this, the patient must swallow a special capsule attached to a special thread. After the capsule sends radio signals, it is removed from the stomach.

I have always been distrustful of laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods. Clinical clues in the form of certain symptoms seem to me more reliable. Therefore, today I want to talk about methods for diagnosing low acidity of the stomach, which can be done at home. e.g. completely safe baking soda test:

Mix ¼ teaspoon of baking soda in 150 ml of cold or room temperature water.
Drink the baking soda solution in the morning on an empty stomach.
Note the time it takes for the burp to appear. It is enough to wait no more than three minutes.
If you don't burp, then you may have low stomach acid. If a burp appears, then the acidity is in order.
Is this method reliable? Not for all. However, why not try? You can take the children in the company and have fun with them right from the morning.

The accuracy of diagnosis will increase when the above test is combined with clinical symptoms of low stomach acid.
An apple cider vinegar test can also be used for diagnosis (choose natural vinegar). The next time you feel heartburn, take 1-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar diluted in half a glass of water. Drink this solution slowly. If you feel relieved, then there is a high probability of low acidity in your stomach. A solution of apple cider vinegar can be drunk slowly and during meals.

Take note: Apple cider vinegar is a weak acid. If taken undiluted, it can burn the throat in some people. Dilution in water makes it safe to take (start with a low concentration). After drinking the solution, rinse your mouth twice with warm water to prevent tooth decay.

If you combine and analyze all of the above tips, then you can suspect a low acidity of the stomach with a high probability. Diagnosis is already half the cure.

More than one reason is involved in the occurrence of hydrochloric acid deficiency in the stomach. For example, hydrochloric acid is activated only in the presence of proteins, and is blocked in the presence of sugar and starch. A high carbohydrate diet, especially when combined with a low protein intake, is an extremely common cause of low acidity. It can also be caused by an underactive thyroid gland.

The lack of nutrients that are necessary for the production of hydrochloric acid: vitamins B1, C, A, D, zinc, also negatively affects its production. Interestingly, the minerals necessary for the production of hydrochloric acid are absorbed only in its presence. Thus, a vicious circle is created: hydrochloric acid is not produced due to the lack of minerals, and these minerals are not absorbed due to reduced acid production.

Eating habits can also contribute to an absolute or relative lack of hydrochloric acid. These include overeating; inappropriate combination of foods in one meal; the use of proteins that have undergone excessive cooking (denaturation); intolerance/hidden allergy to certain foods; the use of refined and non-natural products; alcohol abuse; chronic stress.

Often, only the correction of the above factors facilitates the production of hydrochloric acid and, accordingly, improves digestion.
source

What steps should be taken in case of low stomach acid:
It is generally accepted that heartburn occurs due to the increased acidity of the stomach. In fact, in the vast majority of cases, the cause of heartburn is low stomach acid. The consequence of the low content of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is the uncontrolled reproduction and spread of bacterial microflora in the upper intestines and even in the stomach.

As a result of the vital activity of the microflora, excessive gas formation occurs in the small intestine. Gases rush up and entail food. This is how food is pushed into the esophagus. Therefore, successful treatment of heartburn must solve two problems: the restoration of stomach acidity and the exclusion of microflora from inappropriate habitats.

The most effective start will be to put the raging microflora on a starvation ration. To do this, it is important to know what microbes eat. Dining for microbes is the contents of the intestine. Microorganisms are known to turn up their noses at fats and proteins. Even if they "chew" fats and proteins, then a lot of gas is not formed as a result of such a dinner. It is known that the favorite food of microbes are carbohydrates. Microbes ferment carbohydrates to produce large amounts of gases (as in the formation of wine). That is why the basis of the heartburn diet should be carbohydrate restriction.

A low carb diet will also help you lose weight. And being overweight is also a risk factor for heartburn because it increases intra-abdominal pressure, which is transmitted to the stomach and relaxes the gastroesophageal sphincter.

There are many options for a low-carbohydrate diet. It is important to understand that in case of heartburn, the most undesirable carbohydrates are those that linger in the intestines for a long time. These carbohydrates are high-fiber carbohydrates. Therefore, the first step should be the exclusion from the diet of grains, legumes and starchy vegetables (up to 20% of starch elude absorption and become food for microorganisms).

A small amount of white long-grain rice (jasmine rice) can be kept in the diet. This type of rice is quickly absorbed, so microbes do not have time to feast on it.

Sweet fruits, lactose (sugar) of milk, coconut milk can also serve as food for microflora. Non-sour-milk products for heartburn are generally not recommended. Better yet, completely eliminate all dairy products for 2-3 weeks.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that low acidity is not an isolated defect in digestion. In many patients, the lower intestines are also compromised. In particular, damage to the intestinal epithelium plus enzymatic deficiency is highly likely. Although raw vegetables contain natural enzymes, it can happen that the intestines do not agree with them. Therefore, in the initial stages, the proportion of boiled vegetables should be increased. Vegetable juices can be an alternative to raw vegetables.

In the case of impaired digestion, an individual approach to the choice of carbohydrates is of paramount importance. No one will do it better than you. If you understand the idea of having to manipulate carbs to suppress microflora, then by keeping a food diary, identify which carbs are not for you. It is also important to consider the fact that even those vegetables and fruits that are traditionally considered healthy and healthy may not be suitable for your intestines.

Also, beware of all artificially synthesized preservatives, flavors, colors, and other such things. They were invented to better sell industrial products, and not to improve the ecology of the contents of the intestine. Industrially packaged foods labeled "low carb" also contain many artificial chemicals. I especially want to warn about the refined product that we carelessly consume every day - sugar.

Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice solution, unpasteurized sauerkraut, and sour (not pickled in vinegar) cucumbers have also traditionally been used to relieve heartburn. Sauerkraut and juice from it are a natural stimulant for the production of gastric juice. A few teaspoons of sauerkraut juice before meals can miraculously improve digestion.

I want to draw attention to the fact that patients with heartburn tolerate natural vegetable oils and animal fats well. When preparing animal proteins, they should not be subjected to excessive heat treatment (with the exception of pork and chicken). So they are better digested. The egg is best cooked soft-boiled (raw yolk contains digestive enzymes). It is not recommended to consume non-fermented soybeans, because. it interferes with protein digestion. Vegetable proteins in the form of nuts and seeds at first are best consumed in ground form. Well fit into the diet of patients with heartburn baking flour made from ground almonds and other nuts.

One of the mistakes is salt restriction. The healing system of the martyr Seraphim Chichagov mentions the importance of salt for health. Indeed, sodium is of great physiological importance for the body. And for the production of hydrochloric acid, chlorine is needed. The way out is to use not table salt, but not refined sea salt (Himalayan or Gray French). Sea salt not only does not increase pressure, but is also a source of more than 80 minerals. An additional argument in favor of sea salt is the well-known fact that sodium loss occurs with a low-carbohydrate diet. The use of salt will prevent constipation.

In a large number of patients, the introduction of a low-carbohydrate diet leads to a complete cessation of heartburn symptoms. However, a low carbohydrate diet will not improve the absorption of important trace elements and vitamins in a high hydrochloric acid deficiency. This is especially important for those who have taken hydrochloric acid blockers for a long time and without any doubt suffer from a deficiency of vital nutrients.

Article content:

How to determine the acidity of the stomach at home? Of course, you still have to visit a doctor, since he must see what condition the digestive tract organs are in, make an accurate diagnosis. But before the examination, it is important to know this, if only in order not to provoke a relapse of the disease, for example, by eating something sour when it is elevated. There are many ways to help check the acidity of the stomach at home.

By symptoms

The easiest way to establish is to listen to yourself. This is reflected in the patient's well-being, symptoms appear that are characteristic of a particular condition.

Acidity lowered

If a person has everything in order with the gastrointestinal tract, then the body destroys pathogenic microorganisms and disinfects food. When the acidity is lowered, the following symptoms appear:

The eructation has a musty smell, and an unpleasant odor comes from the mouth. It appears because part of the food does not have time to be digested and rots in the stomach.
Flatulence. Since the remnants of food have accumulated, the process of fermentation has begun in the stomach, gases appear. The abdomen is very swollen, sometimes growls.
Diarrhea. Pathogenic microorganisms enter the gastrointestinal tract and are not destroyed by gastric juice. This causes diarrhea.
The human immune system is weakened. Many products do not break down in the stomach, which is why they begin to rot, toxins are formed that affect the well-being of the patient. The body cannot properly absorb food, so a person does not receive the minerals and vitamins he needs, which also affects his well-being.
The patient's appearance deteriorates. As mentioned above, the patient's body receives less nutrients, which causes brittle nails, split hair, and so on.
If these and other symptoms appear, it is lowered.

Acidity increased

With gastritis, acidity can be increased. By what signs can this be determined, what symptoms indicate high acidity? There are many of them, let's talk about the main ones:

The appearance of persistent and severe heartburn. This is a burning sensation that appears behind the sternum. It occurs when stomach acid enters the esophagus.
Pain. It is aching, dull, occurs 1.5-2 hours after eating. Hunger pains may also appear, they disappear after a snack.
There is a sour taste in the mouth, belching after eating is also sour. Sometimes it occurs if a person sees acidic foods, such as lemons or apples.
A person can be tormented by constipation, which appears due to spastic phenomena in the gastrointestinal tract.

These and other symptoms suggest that the acidity may have increased. But, as we can see, it is rather difficult to determine exactly what kind of acidity according to the signs of the disease. The same constipation or diarrhea can be observed with both high and low acidity. Therefore, it is better to conduct a small test to confirm or refute your fears.

With certain products

How to determine the acidity of the stomach yourself? You can do a little test. The easiest way to test yourself is to eat a particular product and observe how you feel. This determination of acidity is the simplest and most affordable way.

Lemon. Cut open a lemon and watch your reaction. If it seems too sour and tasteless to you, then the acidity is increased. For those who love this fruit and can eat it every day, the acidity is most likely lowered.
Apple juice or sour apple. If you have eaten a sour apple or drunk apple juice on an empty stomach, and you have severe pain, the acid in the stomach is higher than normal. Craving for sour fruits or citrus fruits indicates low stomach acid.
Millet porridge to which oil has been added. Eat this porridge. With increased acidity of the stomach, heartburn will appear.

Tests

How to find out the acidity of the stomach at home? To determine for yourself whether your acidity is increased or not, you can test the acidity of the stomach right at home. But remember that the results will not be accurate. To obtain reliable and complete information, it is necessary to do a gastric sounding. Then its contents are sucked off, and it is examined in the laboratory, the pH is measured. Intragastric pH-metry is the gold standard and the best way to determine this data. This is the best research method that gives the most accurate information.

Litmus paper

How to check the acidity of the stomach? Can be determined with a piece of litmus paper, this is a specific test that has stood the test of time. It is bought in a pharmacy. But remember that the results will not be accurate, as the data may be distorted if you ate a certain food or if you had increased salivation that day. In order for the test to be more or less true, it is necessary to check not once, but several days in a row, and only then draw conclusions.

You can find out the acidity of the stomach if you put a test strip on your tongue and hold it there for a few seconds. This should be done either after eating, waiting 2 hours, or an hour before eating. On the day when the test is carried out, you will have to give up carbonated drinks and juices, replacing them with water.

Watch out for certain litmus test changes:

It is purple - nothing to worry about, gastric juice is normal.
It turned red or pink - high acidity.
Litmus paper turned blue - lowered.

Using Tests

How to know the acidity of the stomach? There are proven methods. For this, ion exchange resins are used. These are tests such as Gastrotest and Acidotest. These resins are not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, as is the dye that the patient receives with them. But hydrogen ions can come from hydrochloric acid, which displace the dye. Depending on how many ions were displaced by the dye, the color of urine changes, acidity is determined from it. But this method is also not accurate; diseases of the excretory system can affect its results. Therefore, it is almost never used, preferring more modern methods.

How is the test carried out? Only on an empty stomach, a person should refuse food for at least 8 hours. Before the test, you should not drink drugs, alcohol, and eat foods that affect the color of urine. In the morning, at 8 or 9 o'clock, he should empty his bladder and drink 2 caffeine tablets. An hour later, you need to go to the toilet again in a small way, collecting urine. After that, you need to swallow 3 tablets and, without chewing, drink water. After 1.5 hours, you need to pee again and collect urine. She should change color. To verify this, you can compare it with the first collected urine. Acidity was determined by the color of urine, a colorimetric scale should be attached to the test, by which you can find out what interests you.

As we can see, there is no most reliable way by which one could very accurately measure the acidity of gastric juice at home. You can only get preliminary results, and accurate diagnosis is the task of the doctor. Only based on them, you can prescribe treatment, and checking at home is a test for yourself, to obtain preliminary results, and not to make a diagnosis.

Before answering the question of how to determine the acidity of the stomach at home, you should find out what kind of environment is in the stomach, when it is considered normal, and why it is intended.

The cavity of the stomach contains a mucous secret, gastric juice (enzymes, hydrochloric acid). Its production occurs by the gastric glands of the mucosa, and normally its amount reaches 2 liters. Mucus is not enough, its amount increases with inflammatory processes in the mucosa. Hydrochloric acid and enzyme substances (pepsin, lysozyme, amylase, lipase, and others) provide chemical processing of food, breaking it down into components (proteins, carbohydrates, etc.). Thus, processed food (chyme) is being prepared for further digestion in the small intestine. The content of hydrochloric acid provides the contents of the stomach with an acidic environment. This also explains its bactericidal (disinfecting) effect.

The indicator of the level of acidity of gastric juice (pH) normally on an empty stomach ranges from 1.5 - 2 units. All deviations will indicate a change in acidity. Increased acidity will be fixed within 1.4 and below, reduced - 2.1 and above. A change in acidity indicators adversely affects the functioning of not only the stomach, but the entire gastrointestinal tract. A prolonged increase in the acidity of the gastric secretion leads to the development of the following diseases:

hyperacid type gastritis (with increased acid-forming function of the stomach);
peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, symptomatic ulcers due to damage to the mucosa in diseases of other organs (renal, liver failure, and others);
esophagitis (inflammatory processes of the mucosa in the lower third of the esophagus);
indirect influence on the change in the function of adjacent organs.

The treatment of all of the above pathological conditions depends on the level of acidity, which, apparently, forces us to look for ways to independently determine the acidity of the stomach. Whether it is worth doing this or entrusting this important procedure to qualified specialists in the field of gastroenterology, we will analyze in more detail.

Important! The only way to find out the acidity of the stomach at home is only to carefully monitor your own health - to notice any discomfort from the stomach. Once again - to independently determine the state of the acidic environment in the stomach, it is not necessary to buy expensive devices, you only need a little attention to yourself.

During the normal functioning of the stomach, glandular cells produce not only acidic gastric juice, but also substances that neutralize its action in order to avoid irritating effects on the mucous membrane and to prepare the chyme for shipment to the duodenum, where the environment is already alkaline.

When the secretory function of the stomach is disturbed

It should be noted that with hypersecretion of gastric juice, not only the amount of gastric juice increases, but also the amount of hydrochloric acid. Hypersecretion is observed:

when using hot and cold food, alcohol, certain drugs: salicylates (Aspirin, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac), hormonal agents (Cortisone, Reserpine, etc.), insulin and others.
in diseases: gastric ulcer and, especially, duodenal ulcer, antral gastritis, pylorospasm, pyloric stenosis.

Hypersecretion, as a rule, causes damage to the gastric mucosa: from mild focal and diffuse to severe ulceration (erosions and ulcers).

What will be the manifestations

It is worth noting that until the gastric mucosa is damaged, increased acidity does not manifest itself, if there is any discomfort, but temporary. The body takes care of this problem on its own. Disturbing manifestations appear already in the presence of the disease. Their severity and intensity depends on the degree of pathological damage to the gastric wall.

So, the symptoms indicating increased acidity.

This symptom manifests itself when eating sour-milk products, sour vegetables and fruits.

After drinking water with gas, excessively spicy and fried foods, marinades, preserves, eructations with a specific sour smell, pains of a different nature and intensity with localization in the epigastric region, a feeling of metal taste in the oral cavity appear.
Very often with high acidity, constipation occurs.

Long-lasting hyperacidity is accompanied by the presence of general symptoms:

irritability and sudden changes in emotional state;
frequent headaches;
possible fluctuations in body weight.

Reduced secretion of gastric juice is usually combined with a decrease in the acidity of gastric contents. A decrease in secretion is observed in acute and chronic gastritis, gastric neoplasms, dehydration. Anacidity (lack of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice) and akhiliya (lack of juice) occur with the deepest damage to the mucosa and its glandular apparatus. As a result of a decrease in the bactericidal action of hydrochloric acid, fermentation and decomposition processes can develop in the stomach. This condition, as a rule, accompanies tumor processes in the stomach.

With reduced acidity of the gastric secretion, the following symptoms appear:

belching, which is distinguished by a sharp and unpleasant odor that resembles the smell of rotten eggs;
due to excessive accumulation of excess air in the cavity of the stomach and intestines, flatulence and a feeling of fullness of the abdomen develop;
a feeling of heaviness and sometimes pressing dull pain in the upper abdomen, as the motor function of the stomach decreases;
diarrhea tendency.

Very often, people with low acidity notice that their hair has become dry and prone to falling out, their nails exfoliate, and their skin is flaky and pale. Against the background of a violation of the normal absorption of nutrients, vitamins and water, metabolic processes in the body are disturbed, there is a decrease in appetite and weight loss.

The severity of these symptoms depends on the degree of deacidification.

In order to prevent the development of the above symptoms and diseases in which they are observed, you should visit a medical institution where you can reliably assess the state of gastric acidity using special examination methods:

Examination of the state of the mucous membrane of the upper alimentary canal using a probe.
Conduct laboratory express tests.
pH-metry throughout the day.

Sensitive taste buds in the mouth respond to sour, citrus fruits (such as lemon).
The use of baking soda - belching in this case occurs when interacting with the acidic contents of the stomach. But it will be even with low acidity.
A technique using wheat porridge in combination with olive oil. There should be heartburn. Heartburn occurs with increased acidity, but the cause of its occurrence is not increased acidity, but a violation of the motility of the upper gastrointestinal tract with a weakening of the lower esophageal sphincter, which leads to reflux - the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Reflux can be with increased, normal and even low acidity. And in all cases, the manifestation of reflux will be heartburn, but of varying intensity. Therefore, the appearance of heartburn is not an indicator of increased acidity.
Apple and other varieties of freshly squeezed juices are also heartburn and the same explanation.
Some sources state that the litmus test is a reliable method to determine your stomach acidity on your own.

A test with a litmus test to determine the pH is indeed carried out, but in this case the pH in the oral cavity will be determined, it is used to indirectly judge the indicator of acid-base balance (balance) of the human internal environment. Normally, it should be alkaline. This test has absolutely nothing to do with determining the acidity of gastric juice.

It is necessary to check the acidity of gastric juice, because the quality of treatment depends on it. But it is almost impossible to do this with special techniques qualitatively, with a reliable result at home! The state of acidity can be judged indirectly by the implicit symptoms of an existing disease. And this is just one more reason to go to a medical institution. Timely treatment will help to quickly solve health problems.

Every day the stomach experiences a great load: it is forced to digest food, and also to protect the body from the development of various diseases, because the gastrointestinal tract contains a huge part of human immunity.

And such a parameter as acidity, with the slightest change, can lead to disruption of all functions of the most important organ.

You can determine the acidity of the stomach at home, as in the clinic,. Only the reliability of the results will require mandatory confirmation in the laboratory.

The normal balance of this component contributes to digestion and human health. However, under certain conditions, acidity can change dramatically in the level of increase or decrease.

Some factors contribute to the process:

smoking and alcohol abuse for a long time;
regular consumption of fatty and spicy foods;
severe stress, overexertion and sleep problems;
long-term use of potent drugs that affect the work of the stomach;
avitaminosis and heredity.

Determination of acidity is a very important step in protecting your health from further problems..

With a high level of hydrochloric acid, thinning of the mucous membrane occurs, which leads to gastritis, ulcers and other disorders. And with low acidity, the intestinal microflora and immunity suffer, since hydrochloric acid does not destroy bacteria that enter the body.

There are several ways to independently determine the acidity of the stomach at home. The reliability of these results cannot be 100%, but they will help determine the presence or absence of violations:

You can also determine the acidity of the stomach with gastritis, as with simple prevention without gastroscopy, by symptoms.

acidity symptoms

For increased acidity of the stomach, some features are characteristic:

You can find out if the acidity of the stomach is not increased, but lowered by several other symptoms. Begins to strongly crave for something sour: cabbage, lemons, pickles, apples and grapefruit juices, as well as black bread, seasonings and spices.

With inflammation of the mucous membrane, which occurs when the level of acid decreases, symptoms such as belching with the smell of rotten eggs occur. The mouth smells bad, although the teeth are healthy.

Constantly there is a feeling of bloated abdomen, flatulence and pain from flatus. Mild heartburn may occur in the throat, and heaviness is felt in the right side. After eating, there are painful sensations in the navel.

Stool disorders also occur with low acidity, but the immune system suffers the most. As a result, a person can develop whole “bouquets” of various sores, as well as fungal infections.

Vitamins and minerals, as well as nutrients, are no longer absorbed properly.

The characteristic symptoms of low acidity are severe dryness of the skin of the hands, face, slow growth of hair and nails, their thinness, delamination and brittleness. Dilated blood vessels and acne appear on the nose and cheeks.

With a long course of the disease, a person also experiences general weakness and apathy, his weight can be greatly reduced.

In any case, the determination of the exact failure of the level of acidity should be dealt with by the doctor using the appropriate tools and methods.

In other ways, it is impossible to identify a deviation and make a diagnosis yourself at home. And the sooner this is done, the easier the treatment process will be, and the stomach will not suffer from ulcers or autoimmune disorders.

Hydrochloric acid occupies a significant place in the composition of gastric juice. It is its main component. Acid helps to ensure that food is processed properly and ensures its gradual movement from the stomach through the so-called pyloric sphincter (pylorus) into the duodenum.

It also performs other functions that are no less important for the human body:

Promotes the process of processing and denaturation of protein in the gastric cavity. Thanks to this, the subsequent splitting of it is greatly facilitated.
Promotes the activation of pepsinogens, which are converted into pepsins.
Forms an acidic environment, without which the action of enzymes contained in gastric juice is impossible.
Causes the process of pancreatic secretion.
Promotes the antibacterial action of gastric juice.

It is almost impossible for a modern person to protect himself from nervous tension, to do without stress, insignificant or bringing huge problems to life. The accelerated course of life, its rapid rhythm often does not leave time for observing the principles of proper and regular nutrition. Such overloads are reflected in the level of acidity of gastric juice, changing it in one direction or another. Then, without changing anything in your lifestyle, it is almost impossible to protect yourself from gastrointestinal diseases. Reduced or increased acidity of the stomach signals that a chronic disease, gastritis, may have appeared.

Determination of acidity

You can diagnose and determine the specific level of acidity in a medical institution. Modern research methods give fairly accurate results. But to establish whether the acidity is lowered or increased, it is possible at home.

How to preliminarily determine what its trend is (increase or decrease) without leaving home? To do this, there is no need to spend money on expensive reagents, swallow the probe and take tests. At first, it is enough to look at your own body, pay attention to the symptoms that were not there before. Indeed, if the acidity fluctuates upward or downward, this cannot but affect the well-being: it also changes.

Acidity is increased: we determine it ourselves

An increase in the level of acidity is a pathology that negatively affects the general condition of the body. Since the walls of the digestive tract are irritated by an excess of acid, a person has such visible symptoms:

Burning in the pharynx and esophagus, which occurs very sharply - heartburn. The reason for its appearance is the release of excess hydrochloric acid into the esophagus. Heartburn can occur at any time, for no apparent reason. But most often it is provoked by sour juices and foods containing many spices and spices. For example, these are tomato, plum, peach juices, smoked meats, mustard, ketchup. With increased acidity, heartburn will definitely appear after eating lemons, grapefruits, kiwi, green apples.
Alkaline mineral water, sunflower seeds, baking soda solution help to quickly get rid of these unpleasant sensations.
Coppery and sour taste in the mouth. Occurs at the sight and smell of sour foods. Even the very thought of lemons, pickled or pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut, apples causes a significant amount of saliva to appear in the mouth.
Belching can occur regardless of the type of food. But as usual, like heartburn, it is observed when fried, fatty and spicy foods predominate in the diet. Sweet juices, jams, ice cream, cakes and cookies also cause this unpleasant phenomenon.
Aching, dull and drawing pain in the stomach. Increases when there is a feeling of hunger. Often occurs in the morning. These are the so-called "hunger pains". They almost always subside when a fresh portion of food enters the stomach.
Heaviness in the abdomen and bloating after every bite, no matter how small.
Violation of the defecation process: constipation or diarrhea. Both symptoms can cause reluctance to eat. After all, sometimes you just have to eat - the stomach instantly grabs, and further frequent trips to the toilet are provided.
Taking anti-inflammatory drugs causes nausea or stomach pain. These symptoms appear immediately after the use of medications.

In addition to the problems listed above, the manifestation of such signs of increased acidity is also possible:

Headaches after eating fatty, fried or smoked foods.
Decreased or complete loss of appetite.
The mood decreases, there is a breakdown and apathy.
Discomfort in the stomach cannot but cause irritability.
Attacks of nausea and vomiting. They come almost at the same hour when the meal is over, or after an insignificant period of time. But this symptom manifests itself much less frequently than all the previous ones.
Problems with the stomach and digestion cover the tongue with a whitish-gray and yellow coating.

If none of the described symptoms are present, then the acidity of the stomach is within normal limits. But the feeling of at least a few of them should serve as a reason for contacting a gastroenterologist.

How to determine on your own if acidity is low

If the acidity is lowered, there is a desire to eat something sour: cabbage, cucumber, even lemon. Cause appetite black rye bread, spices and seasonings, ketchup, apple and grapefruit juices.

A decrease in the content of hydrochloric acid is also a deviation from the norm, as well as an increase. Solyanka, which is contained in gastric juice, neutralizes food entering the esophagus from pathogenic microorganisms, harmful bacteria. When the acidity decreases, that is, the specific gravity of hydrochloric acid in the juice falls, the disinfection process fails. As a result, various unwanted bacteria enter the stomach, the number of which is growing.

There is a process of inflammation of the mucous membrane, and a person has symptoms, the most characteristic of which are:

Belching with a rotten egg odor or rotten taste. It provokes the appearance of bad breath, which is very unpleasant and has a putrid smell.
Present bloated feeling, rumbling. Fermentation processes take place in the gastrointestinal tract. They cause pain from accumulated gases, flatulence.
Burning in throat (heartburn).
Feeling of heaviness in the hypochondrium.
Dull pain in the umbilical region after each snack or a short time after it.
Feeling as if something is bursting from within.
Stool disorders are a manifestation of another symptom of low acidity. An insufficient amount of acid in the gastric juice significantly reduces its antibacterial effect. Microorganisms that freely enter the human intestine change its microflora and disrupt the balance. A person either suffers from constipation or cannot get rid of diarrhea. Difficult defecation is caused by intestinal motor disorders, which, in turn, are due to insufficient acidity.

Its reduced level leads to incomplete digestion of proteins. As a result, decay products accumulate in the stomach, which poison the entire body. Immunity is reduced, and the door opens for the development of pathological processes. First of all, the appearance of various mycoses is possible: fungal lesions cover the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, skin, nails. The body becomes more susceptible to viruses and various infections.

There is insufficient absorption of vitamins and minerals that are contained in food. And, as a result, it is easy to see that:

The skin on the hands and face becomes dry.
Nails grow slowly, break and exfoliate.
Hair thins, becomes brittle and dry. Their growth is also slowing down.
The appearance of acne and vasodilation on the nose and cheeks are another visible signs of a decrease in acidity.

If the acidity has been lowered for a long time, then the person feels:

General weakness.
Weight loss.
Lethargy and loss of strength.
Tendency to a sedentary lifestyle and hypotension.

Suspecting the presence of low acidity, you need to carefully examine your feces. If they contain undigested food residues, its pieces - suspicions are justified.

Symptoms of low or high acidity do not appear all together. Typically, only one or two features are present.

In the event of the appearance of such features and a slight disturbance of well-being, you can, of course, try to adjust the acidity of the stomach on your own. To do this, first of all, you need to adjust your diet.

But if the situation does not improve, and the discomfort increases, you should seek help from a doctor. Special examination methods will help to accurately determine the acidity of the stomach and the causes of possible deviations. The sooner you get diagnosed and treated, the fewer health problems will arise in the future.