How to determine stomach acidity at home? Signs of high and low stomach acidity. Increased or decreased stomach acidity - how to determine at home? How to find out what your stomach acidity is

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

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

Promotes the processing and denaturation of protein in the gastric cavity. Thanks to this, its subsequent splitting 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 effect of gastric juice.

It is almost impossible for a modern person to protect himself from nervous tension, to do without stress, minor or causing huge problems in life. The accelerated course of life and its rapid rhythm often do 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 stomach acidity signals that a chronic disease may have developed - gastritis.

Determination of acidity

You can diagnose and determine the specific level of acidity in a medical facility. Modern research methods provide fairly accurate results. But you can determine whether acidity is low or high 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 a probe and take tests. At first, it is enough to take a closer look at your own body, pay attention to symptoms that were not there before. After all, if acidity fluctuates upward or downward, this cannot but affect your well-being: it also changes.

Increased acidity: determine it yourself

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

A burning sensation in the pharynx and esophagus that 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 a lot of spices and herbs. For example, these are tomato, plum, peach juices, smoked meats, mustard, ketchup. With increased acidity, heartburn will certainly appear after eating lemons, grapefruits, kiwis, and green apples.
Alkaline mineral water, sunflower seeds, and a baking soda solution help to quickly get rid of these unpleasant sensations.
Copper and sour taste in mouth. Occurs when seeing and smelling 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 may occur regardless of the type of food. But as usual, like heartburn, it occurs when fried, fatty and spicy foods predominate in the diet. Sweet juices, jam, ice cream, cakes and cookies also cause this unpleasant phenomenon.
Aching, dull and nagging pain in the stomach. It intensifies when a feeling of hunger appears. It 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 stomach and bloating after every snack, even a minor one.
Violation of the process of defecation: constipation or diarrhea. Both symptoms can cause reluctance to eat. After all, sometimes you just have to eat - your stomach immediately chokes, and further frequent trips to the toilet are guaranteed.
Taking anti-inflammatory drugs causes nausea or stomach pain. These symptoms appear immediately after taking medications.

In addition to the problems listed above, the following signs of increased acidity may also occur:

Headaches after eating fatty, fried or smoked foods.
Decreased or complete loss of appetite.
Mood decreases, loss of strength and apathy appear.
Discomfort in the stomach cannot but cause irritability.
Attacks of nausea and vomiting. They come almost at the same hour when eating is finished, or after a short period of time. But this symptom appears much less frequently than all the previous ones.
Problems with the stomach and digestion coat 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 be a reason to contact a gastroenterologist.

How to determine yourself whether acidity is low

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

A decrease in hydrochloric acid content is just as much a deviation from the norm as an increase. Solyanka, which is contained in gastric juice, neutralizes food entering the esophagus from pathogenic microorganisms and harmful bacteria. When the acidity decreases, that is, the specific gravity of hydrochloric acid in the juice drops, the disinfection process fails. As a result, various unwanted bacteria penetrate into the stomach, the number of which increases.

A process of inflammation of the mucous membrane occurs, and a person develops symptoms, the most characteristic of which are:

Belching with the smell of rotten eggs or with a rotten taste. It provokes the appearance of bad breath, which is very unpleasant and has a putrid odor.
Present feeling of bloating, rumbling. Fermentation processes occur in the gastrointestinal tract. They cause pain from accumulated gases and flatulence.
Burning in the throat (heartburn).
Feeling of heaviness in the hypochondrium.
Dumb pain in the navel area after each snack or a short time after it.
Feeling as if something is bursting from the inside.
Stool disorders are another manifestation of low acidity. An insufficient amount of acid in gastric juice significantly reduces its antibacterial effect. Microorganisms that enter the human intestine unhindered change its microflora and upset the balance. A person either suffers from constipation or cannot get rid of diarrhea. Difficulty defecating is caused by intestinal motor disorders, which, in turn, are explained by insufficient acidity.

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

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

The skin on your hands and face becomes dry.
Nails grow slowly, break and peel.
Hair becomes thinner, brittle and dry. Their growth also slows down.
The appearance of acne and dilation of blood vessels on the nose and cheeks are other visible signs of a decrease in acidity.

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

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

If you suspect the presence of low acidity, you need to carefully examine your feces. If they contain undigested food remains or pieces of food, the suspicions are justified.

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

If such features appear and there is a slight disturbance in your health, you can, of course, try to adjust the acidity of the stomach yourself. 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 you will have in the future.

The human stomach performs several functions: it neutralizes, digests and promotes food, promotes absorption and the production of enzymes. For digestion, the mucous surface of the stomach secretes acidic, complex juice, which produces more than 2 liters during the day. The acidity of gastric fluid is due to the presence of acid (hydrochloric acid) in it.

In case of gastric diseases, a change in the content of hydrochloric acid often occurs in the liquid, less often - a decrease in the activity of digestive enzymes, which leads to disruption of the digestion processes. Each person can determine the acidity of the stomach at home, but if a pathology is detected, then laboratory tests are required - as prescribed by a gastroenterologist.

Causes of imbalance

The main causes of imbalance are the harmful effects of external and internal factors. According to some scientists, the same concentration of hydrochloric acid is always observed in the gastric fluid; its degree and quantity depend on the mucus secreted and the state of the motor mechanism of the stomach. An increased concentration of acid in the gastric fluid sometimes occurs in completely healthy people with normal functioning of the stomach.

Then the nutritional factor (eating spicy, salty or fatty foods) is important in its origin. Sometimes increased acidity (hyperchilia) is a pathological condition caused by the following factors:

inflammation on the mucous surface of the stomach and in the upper part of the duodenum (stomach ulcer, gastritis - atrophic, chronic, duodenitis);
pathologies of the liver, intestines, genitourinary system;
frequent ;
excessive consumption of spicy, salty, sour foods;
mechanical difficulty in the outflow of contents from the stomach.

With (hypochilia), the main cause is atrophy of the secretory glands. Moreover, even the strongest food medicinal irritants do not cause the separation of acids and enzymes. This form of gastritis often develops as a result of neuropsychic effects that inhibit the release of enzymes that break down milk proteins and acids.

Functional dysfunction of the secretory activity of the stomach can occur due to changes in diet. Pathology can occur due to a lack of vitamins and infectious diseases.

Note! Characteristic symptoms are the main signs of dysfunction, which allow you to determine the presence of acidity in gastritis at home, without the use of special procedures.

Low acidity and gastritis

To distinguish between gastritis with high and low acidity, it is important to know all the signs of pathology. Gastritis with hypochile and lack of acid is manifested by dyspeptic symptoms (impaired digestion): nausea, belching (sometimes with a foul odor), a feeling of heaviness in the pit of the stomach. A common complaint of patients is unpleasant taste sensations and vomiting in the morning. Often, with gastritis with a reduced form of acidity, stool disturbances in the form of diarrhea are observed. Their reasons are:

insufficiently chewed food;
disturbance in the digestion of connective tissue;
pathology (disturbed closure) of the pylorus and rapid gastric emptying;
disruption of the bactericidal function of gastric juice, which leads to the appearance of bacterial flora in the upper parts of the small intestines.

As a result of all this, conditions are created for the intensive development of putrefactive or fermentative processes in the small intestines. You should know that gastritis with low acidity develops when pancreatic dysfunction (insufficient insulin secretion) is added to the pathology of the stomach.

A reduced acid (hydrochloric) content in gastric juice interferes with the absorption of dietary iron, which can lead to iron deficiency anemia. Violation of the digestive function in the intestines and stomach negatively affects the absorption of nutrients and vitamins - A, C and especially the B complex.

Increased acidity and gastritis

It is easy to understand how the form of gastritis with low acidity differs from the pathology with high acid levels. The main indicator is heartburn, which is persistent. Sour belching is often observed, and vomiting is less common, which sometimes releases a large amount of stomach contents.

Patients complain of burning and pressing sensations on the right, under the rib, which appear an hour after eating. Basically, the appetite is normal, less often – increased. There is a tendency to spastic constipation. The following signs can often be observed:

neurasthenic syndrome (increased irritability, poor sleep, mood swings, fatigue);
disruption of the autonomic nervous system (urticaria, high blood pressure, unstable pulse, sometimes bradygardia (slow pulse), drooling, cold and wet hands).

When the level of stomach acidity increases, patients do not experience significant weight loss. When palpating the epigastric region, moderate pain is noted. Sometimes they also talk about gastritis with severe pain, which is often erosive.

This type of disease is characterized by acute pain syndromes after eating. In some cases, night pain (hunger pain) is observed. According to gastroenterologists, chronic gastritis with dysfunction of the secretory activity of the stomach does not exist as an independent disease.

Note! It is useful for everyone to know how to determine the level of acidity at home - problems detected in time allow you to avoid such serious diseases as peptic ulcers and oncology of the digestive system.

How to independently determine the acidity of the stomach with gastritis

Every person knows how to determine whether he has low or high acidity based on pathological symptoms. Any deviations are indicators of the presence of diseases in the digestive system. Determination of acidity is an important diagnostic indicator in gastroenterology, which is measured in pH and carried out in laboratory conditions. You can determine the acidity of gastritis yourself. To do this, use one of the determination methods:

saliva test with litmus paper (sold in a pharmacy) - the strip is placed under the tongue and held for several seconds; pink or red color of the strip indicates a high acidic environment;
on products that help in determining acidity (sour dairy products, lemons, sour apples, grapefruit juice, orange juice, grape juice) - patients with gastritis with high acidity do not consume these products, and patients with gastritis with low acidity do not consume they eat them with pleasure.

(sodium bicarbonate) helps to determine if you have gastritis at home whether your acidity is high or low. To do this, stir a quarter teaspoon of soda in half a glass of water at room temperature and drink the solution in the morning on an empty stomach.

With gastritis with hyperchilia, belching appears after 2-3 minutes; with gastritis with hypochilia, belching is absent. Self-determination of pH levels at home is relative - accurate readings should only be obtained as prescribed by a doctor in medical institutions. After this, gentle nutrition and medications are prescribed.

Determination of acidity in hospital

How the acidity of gastric juice is determined during gastritis in the laboratory can be understood according to normal indicators - the ideal pH level for the healthy functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is from 1.5 to 2, with an empty stomach. The maximum density is 8.3 pH, and the minimum is 0.86 pH.

The empty stomach of a healthy person who does not have pathologies of the digestive system contains from 0.3 to 0.5% hydrochloric acid. There are several diagnostic methods that help to reliably determine the acidity of gastritis:

short-term intragastric (gives the most informative indicators) - a metric probe with acidity level detectors is installed in different parts of the stomach (duration up to 20 minutes), which determines the correct acid level and helps in making a diagnosis;
intragastric long-term - a daily study that allows you to determine the presence of hyperchilia or hypochilia of gastritis (including in the duodenum) - using a special sensor and probing, computer observations are carried out for 24 hours;
examination of stomach fluid - carried out using probing and studying the contents under a microscope.

During this period, the patient must follow a diet and stop taking medications. Spicy, high-fat, salty, fried foods (which increase stomach function) are excluded from the menu. Including raw fruits, vegetables, juices, alcohol, carbonated drinks, strong coffee and tea. Take light food that does not irritate the stomach, strictly 3 times a day.

Stop smoking and eating 12 hours before, drinking 4 hours before inserting the probe. The duty of the medical staff is to explain to the patient the importance of proper preparation for the procedure, which ensures the reliability of the result and allows you to accurately determine whether acidity is high or low, and to prescribe effective treatment for gastritis.

Note! To find out what kind of gastritis a patient has - with low acidity or high acidity, it is recommended to conduct studies on different days during the week, and then compare the results and calculate the average.

The information on our website is provided by qualified doctors and is for informational purposes only. Don't self-medicate! Be sure to consult a specialist!

Gastroenterologist, professor, doctor of medical sciences. Prescribes diagnostics and carries out treatment. Expert of the group for the study of inflammatory diseases. Author of more than 300 scientific papers.

17.03.2016

The normal environment in the human stomach is acidic. This is due to the presence of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Its volume is very small - 0.5% of the total volume of gastric juice, but it is its presence that helps the human body digest food normally, disinfecting various pathogens that enter the gastrointestinal tract along with it.

Diagnostics

If the acidity of the stomach is increased or decreased, this can lead not only to quite unpleasant sensations, but also provoke the development of serious gastrointestinal diseases, such as gastritis, inflammation of the esophageal mucosa, gastric or duodenal ulcers, and various functional disorders of the digestive system. That is why it is very important to promptly notice when acidity changes in order to be able to normalize the acid balance of the stomach before these disturbances become persistent and lead to illness.

Kinds

Doctors conventionally divide acidity into two types – basal and stimulated. Basal acidity is determined with an empty stomach, in a hungry state of the patient. Stimulated acidity is an indicator of the acid content in gastric juice when the stomach is working or when it is stimulated with special medications.

Of course, accurate acidity indicators can only be obtained in the laboratory conditions of a clinic, but if for some reason a visit to the doctor is postponed, you can try to verify the acid balance at home. Just don’t forget that, firstly, this will require some time and patience, and secondly, that the results of home observations will be very approximate.

Symptoms

Symptoms of high acidity:

Heartburn that occurs almost immediately after eating;
Burning pain in the stomach area;
Frequent constipation;
Feeling of heaviness in the pit of the stomach;
Aversion to sour foods;
Copper taste in the mouth in the morning (sometimes this taste can be caused by eating too much protein);
Belching with an unpleasant sour taste;
Stomach pain or nausea after taking certain anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or diclofenac.

These symptoms become pronounced even when the level of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice increases regularly and the gastric mucosa has already undergone some changes.

Symptoms of low acidity:

Constant rumbling in the stomach;
Flatulence;
Bloating
Metallic taste in the mouth;
Anemia;
Loss of appetite;
Brittle hair and nail plates;
Belching with putrid odor;
Nausea after eating;
Smell from the mouth;
Indigestion up to diarrhea;
Lack of vitamins;
Heaviness in the stomach immediately after eating.

Low acidity can lead to much more severe health consequences than high acidity. The thing is that with this disorder, food is digested very poorly and the body does not receive all the nutrients it needs for normal functioning, which can result in various metabolic disorders.

Is it possible to determine the acidity level yourself at home experimentally?

The first method is the “litmus test”.

An hour before meals, hold litmus paper on your tongue. If the indicator turns pink or red, the acidity is most likely increased. Blue color – low acidity. If the acidity level is normal, neutral, the indicator will be purple. This experiment is performed several times to exclude random results.

The second method is using soda.

In the morning, on an empty stomach, drink 1/4 tsp. baking soda dissolved in a glass of cold water. If after a few minutes no belching appears, it is likely that the acidity of the gastric juice is increased.

Of course, these are folk methods and, at a minimum, very approximate. Moreover, many doctors believe that both of the above methods for determining the level of acidity at home do not provide any useful information at all. By applying litmus paper to the tongue, the acidity level of saliva rather than gastric juice is determined.

As for testing with a soda solution, the acid that causes belching is constantly present in the stomach and its level fluctuates slightly. For example, if the day before there was overeating or a long feast, including heavy holiday dishes, then the acids for digesting the resulting food will be released a little more than usual.

Accurate data on the acidity level of your stomach and the state of your gastrointestinal tract can only be determined using modern laboratory tests in a clinic or hospital setting.

The most common methods today are:

Endoscopic examination using a probe, as a result of which a stimulated acidity level is established;
Daily pH-metry (the study is also carried out at night) allows you to see the most accurate results;
Probing;
Laboratory express research, the result of which can be obtained immediately.

Each of these procedures is performed in a clinic setting and in the presence of a qualified healthcare professional. All other methods (including home ones) at best can only suggest the presence of a problem.

Stomach acidity is an important indicator of the state of a person’s internal environment and his overall health. In various parts of the gastrointestinal tract, acidity changes depending on the function of the area, and changes in this indicator in one direction or another can lead to the development of a whole galaxy of various diseases. Determining the acidity of the stomach helps in diagnosing and monitoring gastrointestinal diseases, and everyone should be able to recognize the symptoms accompanying acid-base changes in the stomach.

Normally, the composition of gastric juice includes hydrochloric acid and bicarbonates, which have an alkaline reaction, that is, in different sections, the processes of synthesis of acid and bases take place alternately, and sometimes simultaneously. For the mucous membranes that line the entire gastrointestinal tract, both extremes are dangerous because they represent an aggressive environment. But together they neutralize each other, restraining the damaging effect.

Gradually passing through these sections, the contents of the stomach physiologically move along the digestive tract, breaking down into molecules that the body is able to absorb. Most enzymes are secreted in an inactive form, so that the stomach wall is not digested along with food, and they become active at a certain acidity for each section.

Stomach acidity normally varies for each section and depends on the time of day and food intake. In the stomach cavity on an empty stomach, the acidity is in the range of 1.5-2 pH, and approaching the transition to the duodenum, the pH shifts to the neutral and even slightly alkaline side (up to 7.4). In the epithelial layer, the acidity should be neutral.

Only if the acidity matches will digestion be effective and the gastrointestinal mucosa will remain intact.

Why do you need to maintain a certain acidity?

The oral cavity is inhabited by a huge number of microorganisms, which, with adequate functioning of the immune system, do not pose a danger to a healthy person. Mixing with food, they enter the stomach, which is the main factor of protection against infection precisely due to the acidic reaction of gastric juice. Hydrochloric acid neutralizes most bacteria that enter the stomach, preventing them from entering the intestines, where they can be absorbed into the systemic bloodstream.

The first stage of the breakdown of complex molecules occurs in the stomach under the action of its own enzyme systems. The stomach wall is rich in glands that produce various enzymes, in particular pepsinogen.

Pepsinogen is an inactive form of the enzyme pepsin, which breaks down proteins. Under the influence of hydrochloric acid, inactive pepsinogen is converted into active pepsin. Hydrochloric acid is also involved in the breakdown of proteins, having an independent proteolytic effect.

Like any other acid, HCl has a mild irritant effect. By stimulating motility and irritating receptors, hydrochloric acid becomes a trigger for the movement of food from the stomach to the duodenum.

Why determine acidity?

Measuring acidity in the stomach is prescribed for an accurate diagnosis; changes in this indicator indicate developing pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.

Depending on which direction the acid-base state has shifted, you can find the cause that caused the disease. Only by normalizing acidity can effective therapy be achieved.

Methods for determining acidity

The least accurate and approximate information in the hospital is provided by probeless method, based on identifying different staining of urine using ion exchange resins. “Acidotest” has become more widespread in this line of products. The kit includes several tablets with:

dye;
ion exchange resins;
stimulator of gastric juice secretion.

Resins are inert for the body and are not absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract, and, therefore, cannot appear in the urine, like the dye, which is in a strong complex with them. But the dye is easily replaced by hydrogen ions coming from hydrochloric acid. Depending on how many ions from the hydrochloric acid have displaced the dye, the urine will be colored differently. The kit comes with a color scale, which is used to judge a particular condition.

Probing of the stomach will tell you more accurately about the state of acidity: gastric contents are sucked out, the acidity of which is measured in the laboratory. This method is not physiological, since the mixing of liquids from different sections that have different acidity occurs. The result is an average figure with little reliability.

The process of probing the stomach

During the It is also possible to determine the acidity of the stomach by irrigating the mucous membrane through a flexible endoscope with a special acidity indicator. The method is visual and also not very accurate.

Intragastric pH testing is considered the gold standard and the most informative way to determine acidity. This method not only gives an accurate pH number, but also reflects a complete picture of the distribution of acid in the stomach in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract or even at different times of the day.

How to suspect an acidity disorder at home?

You can determine the acidity of the stomach using a simple test with litmus paper, which can be purchased at the pharmacy. The test strip should be placed on the tongue for a few seconds.

It is important to conduct the study either 2 hours after a meal or an hour before a meal. Remember that you should not drink juices and carbonated drinks on this day, they can distort the result; limit yourself to clean drinking water. It is best to repeat the experiment on different days and then look at the average result.

Litmus paper is a simple indicator for changing the pH of the environment.

Changes in paper color will indicate the acid-base state of gastric juice:

red (or pink) color – acidic environment;
purple color is a neutral environment.

Another method is based on the psychosomatic reaction of the body. It is enough to mentally imagine the taste and smell of lemon and listen to your feelings. Lack of secretion or increased secretion of saliva are signs of a change in the environment in the stomach.

Obviously, at home it is impossible to accurately determine “your” acidity in the stomach. But anyone can suspect a violation; just monitor your feelings throughout the day.

Increased acidity

Most often, an increase in pH in the stomach accompanies the development of so-called acid-dependent diseases. These include hyperacid duodenitis and gastritis, peptic ulcers of the duodenum and stomach, as well as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

pain that occurs after eating (1-2 hours later);
sour belching;
burning and heaviness in the abdomen (heartburn);
nausea (in rare cases, vomiting);
tendency to constipation.

Low acidity

Low acidity of gastric juice is a common pathology that is practically asymptomatic until atrophic gastritis develops. Low secretion of hydrochloric acid leads to a weakening of the antimicrobial barrier, which leads to frequent intestinal infections and weakened gastric and intestinal motility.

Symptom complex characteristic of this condition:

bad breath;
lack of appetite;
weakness, chronic fatigue;
tendency to constipation or diarrhea;
anemia;
tendency to allergic reactions;
flatulence (increased formation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract);
recurrent stomach upsets.

How to normalize acidity?

With increased levels of acidity in the stomach, drugs from the anticholinergic group, such as atropine and platyphylline, have shown their effectiveness. The aggressiveness of gastric contents is also reduced by:

antisecretory drugs (ranitidine, omeprazole);
antacids (Renny, Gastal).

Among the folk remedies, potato and aloe juice, propolis tincture and natural honey have proven themselves. Carrot juice and warm milk can reduce gastric secretion and, accordingly, acidity. In addition, carrot juice reduces abdominal pain, having a weak analgesic effect.

It is much more difficult to increase stomach acidity. Traditional medicine can also help: wormwood, calamus or peppermint. Herbal mixtures of chamomile, St. John's wort and herbs (wormwood) should be brewed in a thermos and taken half a glass half an hour before meals.

Drug therapy is prescribed only after a therapeutic diet has been prescribed and has had its effect. Replacement therapy includes hydrochloric acid preparations (acidin-pepsin) or drugs that stimulate the production of gastric juice. They cannot be prescribed independently and without constant supervision from a specialist.

Eating with high acidity levels

A therapeutic diet for high acidity levels is prescribed taking into account the degree of damage to the mucous membrane and the stage of the process.

During an exacerbation, the first thing you need to do is reduce any irritation of the inflamed stomach: chemical, thermal or mechanical. Food should not be too hot or cold; spicy, salty and especially sour foods should be completely excluded from the diet. The patient should chew food well and eat small portions, but often. All products are steamed or boiled. An hour before meals, the patient is recommended to drink bicarbonate mineral water.

During the period of remission, it is allowed to add carbohydrates (wheat and rye bread, cookies, crackers), lean meat, and soups prepared with vegetable broth to the diet. As before, it is better to stick to the steamed “diet” and avoid eating spicy, salty or sour foods. Mucosal-enveloping agents (natural jelly or oatmeal infusions) have a beneficial effect.

This patient is given a health education conversation about the dangers of alcohol and smoking, which stimulate the secretion of the gastric glands, which is unacceptable in a patient with a high level of acidity.

Eating with low acidity levels

Common mistakes in the treatment of low acidity levels are stimulation of secretion and attempts to artificially increase acidity. This should not be done under any circumstances, since the mucous membrane is in a weakened state; you should not load the stomach even more. First of all, it is necessary to prescribe a gentle diet with easily digestible foods.

As in the case of a high level of acidity, the dish of choice will be various porridges (oatmeal, buckwheat), rice, mashed potatoes. Products should be of a soft, uniform consistency and not hot in temperature. The patient can prepare vegetable soups, steamed lean meat and fish, and even flour.
From the moment the symptoms subside, you can begin stimulating the secretion of gastric juice. Sour fruit and tomato juices and marinades help with this. Vitamins will be useful for improving general condition and as stimulators of mucosal healing.

The cause of belching, heartburn and other negative symptoms can be not only diseases, but also acid imbalance. To check whether it is low or high, it is not necessary to consult a doctor.

There are many methods for determining stomach acidity at home. For example, pay attention to certain foods or drinks, use special test strips or other methods.

Gastric juice is necessary for normal digestion. Its elevated pH appears when there is excessive production of hydrochloric acid. It leads to a weakening of the protective lining of the stomach and deforms its walls. These processes are accompanied by certain symptoms and can lead to bleeding, gastritis, peptic ulcers and more severe pathologies.

A low pH means insufficient production of hydrochloric acid, which also leads to negative consequences. The body's antibacterial function deteriorates, the intestinal microflora is disrupted, and pathogenic microorganisms begin to actively multiply (in particular Helicobacter pylori). As a result, a person develops various diseases (gastritis, erosion, polyposis, etc.) and even malignant neoplasms.

Normal stomach acidity

If a pH imbalance occurs in the body, it not only makes you feel worse, but can also lead to a number of serious diseases. Acidity can be of two types:

Normal pH is 7 (neutral). For example, this is the indicator for ordinary water. Plasma acidity fluctuates in the digital range of 7.35-7.5. The higher the pH value in gastric juice, the lower the pH will be.

To obtain correct results, testing is performed on an empty stomach. Normal acidity values in the lumen of the gastric body and on its mucous membranes should be less than 2 units. In healthy people, the pH of juice fluctuates between 1-2 units. Exceeding the indicators by up to 4 units. indicates low pH. Normal values in the antrum should be 1.5-7.5 units. The maximum permissible limits are 0.9 and 8.5.

Signs of high and low stomach acidity

Symptoms at low or high pH are different, which makes it possible to diagnose how you can determine the acidity of the stomach yourself. To do this, you need to pay attention to a number of signs. At elevated pH, the following appears:

heartburn after every meal;
metallic taste in the mouth;
aching pain in the stomach;
violation of knocking (more often - constipation);
belching of air (mostly immediately after eating);
heaviness and bloating.

Secondary (in the absence of timely treatment) symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. A grayish or yellow coating appears on the tongue. The general condition worsens. The person feels severe weakness and apathy. Frequent pain and discomfort appear in the stomach area.

With a low pH, a person feels:

nausea;
belching with a rotten smell;
heaviness, rumbling and pain in the abdomen, bloating;
flatulence;
stool disorder.

Among the secondary symptoms (in the absence of treatment) are vitamin deficiency, anemia, and dry skin. Hair and nails begin to break, and the person quickly loses weight. Immunity and hemoglobin sharply decrease, and fatigue increases.

Methods for determining stomach pH

Probing can be used to determine the pH level. This is an instrumental method using a thin and thick tube. In the first case, it is used to assess how active pH secretion is and determine its level. A thin probe is the most informative and shows an accurate result. Using a thick tube, you can get an idea of how incoming food is digested. However, probing is used only in medical institutions.

Carrying out an acid test

Before the acid test, the bladder is first emptied. Then a certain drug with a dye is taken. An hour later, urine is taken for analysis. Then you need to take the drug again. After 1.5 hours, urine is collected again. The color of the resulting urine is measured using a colorimetric scale. This technique helps determine pH without gastroscopy. However, according to reviews, the method has significant errors, so it is rarely used.

Determination of pH level in blood

You can find out the pH level using a blood test. It determines:

If there is a deviation from normal values, then aerotesting (breathing test) is recommended. This helps detect the presence of Helicobacter pylori bacteria and ammonia.

Desmoid test according to Sali

To test for Sali, before eating, a person swallows a small rubber bag (containing methylene blue), which is tied with catgut. It is dissolved by pepsin and hydrochloric acid at high acidity. The substance contained in the sac enters the bloodstream and is then excreted in the urine. This is how the pH level is assessed. The analysis is carried out on the basis of three samples of collected urine - after 3.5 and 20 hours. Normally, the first portion of urine will be a normal color, the second will be pale green, and the third will have an additional blue tint.

A technique with ion exchange resins is also used. The essence of the diagnosis is that they interact with low molecular weight compounds (para-aminosalicylic acid, quinine, etc.). If the pH is increased, then hydrochloric acid replaces resin ions. They are then excreted in the urine. The results are determined by the color of the urine.

How to determine stomach pH at home

The testing methods listed above are not suitable for home diagnostics, as they require the use of special tools. To independently check acidity, other methods are used. For example, pH can be determined by signs. Symptoms for low and high acidity are different.

You can do testing with Azur A. This allows you to determine achlorhydria or low acidity. First, the bladder is emptied (part of the urine is poured into a jar). Then you need to drink 50 mg of Betazol hydrochloride (dissolved in water). After an hour, the procedure is repeated again and the dye Azur A is taken again. If the acidity is increased, the color of the urine will be the same or slightly darker than the first sample. With a lower pH, the shade will become much lighter.

Self-diagnosis methods

There are several methods for testing stomach acidity at home. For example, Acido- and Gastrotest. First, 2 caffeine pills are taken, then 3 of the dye. The results are assessed on a special scale. Normally, the color of urine should be pink, with high acidity it should be red, and colorless urine should have a low pH level.

Using Litmus Test Strips

There are special litmus tests on how to independently determine the acidity of the stomach. The strips are sold at any pharmacy and are easy to use. The test determines acidity using saliva. The strip should be placed on the tongue for a few seconds. During this time, the color of the paper will change. If it turns purple, then this is normal; pink or red means high acidity; blue means low acidity.

To achieve an accurate litmus test result, you must adhere to several rules:

It is impossible to draw a conclusion about the acidity level from one test. A person consumes different foods and drinks per day, so the results may be distorted. The reliability of the data is also affected by the rate of saliva flow. If it is high, then the liquid will not have sufficient concentration to obtain an accurate result.

Testing is carried out several times over three days. The average result is then calculated. In Moscow pharmacies, the price of strips can vary from 100 to 1,700 rubles. It depends on the number of pieces in the package, their type, and configuration. The most expensive are photometric.

Useful video

Methods for determining acidity are also given in this video.

Products that help determine acidity

The body's reaction to certain foods depends on the level of acidity. Some foods cause discomfort or pain, others eliminate them. How to find out whether stomach acidity is increased or decreased using foods is described in the table.

Natural apple juice	With increased acidity, drinking the drink can cause stomach pain (especially on an empty stomach). The same sensations arise after eating the apples themselves. If there is no discomfort, this indicates normality. The constant need for sour apples or freshly squeezed juice from them indicates low acidity.
Lemons	People who have a low pH do not even wince when they eat this citrus. A slice of fresh lemon leaves a pleasant taste in your mouth. If the acidity is high, even a small piece of fruit will seem very sour.
Millet porridge with added butter	When the pH is elevated, heartburn appears after eating a dish.
Baking soda	To check acidity, you need to dissolve one teaspoon of powder in 0.1 liters of water (warm). The drink helps with heartburn, hungry stomach pains or belching with an unpleasant aftertaste, which indicates increased acidity.

Testing pH with products must be done very carefully. It is not recommended to specifically consume fruits, vegetables and dishes (if you already have certain sensations) so as not to worsen your well-being.

Preventive measures

To prevent acidity levels from fluctuating, it is first of all important to create the right diet and follow the nutritional rules. It is advisable to exclude fatty, spicy and smoked foods from the menu. Dishes need to be steamed, stewed or baked. It is advisable to avoid alcoholic and carbonated drinks. You need to eat in small portions - 5-6 times a day. Do not overeat (especially before bedtime).

If you have a negative reaction to some foods, eliminate them from your diet altogether. It is also necessary to lead an active lifestyle. Inactivity impairs digestion and can cause acidity fluctuations. Eliminate stress and smoking.

If prevention is observed, acidity will be within normal limits. If negative symptoms appear, you can conduct a diagnosis at home, choosing any of the most accessible and convenient methods. For example, litmus tests are sold in any pharmacies.