Acid Reflux Disease and Cancer

Acid Reflux Disease and Cancer

Could a supplement called MSM be the answer?

Acid reflux or Gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which fluid from the stomach spurts into the esophagus. This fluid contains mostly acid with some pepsin and bile. All three of these fluids are potentially dangerous to the delicate esophageal tissue, with acid being the most damaging. This refluxed fluid can inflame and damage the lining of the esophagus (esophagitis). If this condition is allowed to become chronic, over time it can develop into Barrett's esophagus, which is the precursor to esophageal cancer.

Up to 15 million Americans suffer from acid reflux every day. People of all ages are susceptible to this condition. Older people who suffer from acid reflux tend to be more affected than younger people. 13,000 people are diagnosed with esophageal cancer every year. At least 12,000 people die from it. The overall survival rate is very poor. Acid reflux is the biggest known risk factor for developing Barrett's esophagus, which can progress to esophageal cancer.

Barrett's esophagus occurs when chronic acid reflux or esophagitis goes uncontrolled. Through constant inflammation and damage, the normal cells lining the esophagus, called squamous cells, transform into specialized columnar cells. Columnar cells are not normally found in humans and can become cancerous.

Although this can happen to anyone, it usually occurs in people over forty who have had regular heartburn for more than five years. Some of the symptoms include difficulty swallowing and waking up at night with heartburn. Some people have no symptoms at all.

Scar tissue can develop from the constant attack of acid on the delicate lining of the esophagus. The tissue can become thickened and hard, causing the esophagus to become narrower. This can make it difficult to swallow food or even water.

I am a firm believer in natural remedies over conventional medicine. When I go to the doctor it is for diagnostic purposes only. Instead of subjecting myself to a barrage of harmful pills and painful procedures, I try to cure the condition myself using alternative methods. I have found that MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) has the ability to soften scar tissue, making it flexible and permeable. I believe that by taking MSM regularly, one may be able to avoid the serious problems associated with chronic acid reflux.

MSM has been touted as the greatest natural remedy since Vitamin C. It appears to have the power to reduce pain and inflammation. It is currently used to treat a variety of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and gout. It is even used to treat snoring and constipation. MSM has been used with great success in horses and dogs to control the inflammation associated with allergies.

I use MSM to relieve the summer allergies of my twelve year old Jack Russell Terrier, Jack Pot. It works like magic. By giving him a gram of MSM in a little cheese twice a day, I have minimized his itchy and runny eyes associated with airborne allergies.

I also use MSM drops for my eyes. It obviously has the power to reduce, if not prevent, cataracts. It seems to dissolve them. My mother had cataracts in both eyes. She had one removed by her ophthalmologist. When she told me what she had, I immediately put her on MSM drops. When she returned to the doctor for her pre-op checkup for the second eye, they found that the other cataract had completely disappeared.

Aren't cataracts a form of scar tissue? I believe that scar tissue and Barrett's esophagus have an important connection. If MSM actually has this beneficial effect on scar tissue, it may be able to prevent or at least improve Barrett's esophagus. Maybe MSM can help prevent this type of cancer? I don't know, but I will continue to take it rather than submit to so-called "modern medicine."

If you should choose the allopathic medical route, diagnosing Barrett's esophagus involves an endoscopy. The doctor places a long mechanical tube down your throat to observe the esophagus and perform a biopsy. It can't be a very pleasant procedure. And if the results are negative? The doctor will most likely prescribe medications that have harmful side effects. Some of these medications contain H2 blockers such as cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine. Or he prescribes the drugs omeprazole and lansoprazole, which are proton pump inhibitors.

Some of the side effects of these medications include: headache, intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain, excess gas in the stomach and intestines (bloating), dry mouth, skin reactions such as rash and itching, inflammation of the skin (dermatitis), dizziness, pain in muscles and joints, swelling of the legs and ankles due to excessive fluid retention (peripheral edema), pins and needles (paresthesia), depression, restlessness, confusion, sleep disorders (insomnia), drowsiness (drowsiness), liver or blood disorders. The list goes on and on.

If the medications don't work, he'll most likely suggest a surgical procedure called a fundoplication. This involves removing the damaged part of the esophagus and attaching the remaining section to the stomach.

For myself, I will continue to research and experiment with natural remedies for acid reflux. I think the medical approach may be worse than the disease itself.

I was a victim of acid reflux for many years. I had disappointing experiences with doctors who knew nothing about nutrition or alternative medicine. Basically, doctors only know how to write prescriptions. They don't know anything about healing. They only learn how to treat symptoms by trading drugs that support the pharmaceutical industry.

The proton pump inhibitors my doctor prescribed ultimately didn't work for me. Aside from the harmful side effects caused by these medications, no one really knows what long-term effects they have on the human body.

Since conventional medicine wasn't helping me, I was highly motivated to look for alternative healing methods. After much research and experimentation, I found natural ways that allowed me to ultimately cure my acid reflux condition. MSM was one of them.

Inspired by Charles Richey