THE waterbeds, once regarded merely as a faddish by product of the 1960s have steadily gained respectability over the years. Several comforts of sleeping on the waterbeds are claimed in frequent T.V. and newspaper ads.
However, a recent report publishment in the Journal of the American Medical Association, indicates a link between sleeping on the waterbed, and development of reflux esophagitis, esophageal irritation caused by backup of stomach acid.
The researchers claimed that nine of 50 esophagitis patients they studied slept on the water beds, which is statistically significant observation as compared with general population.
Several previous studies have mentioned the relationship between posture and symptomatic improvement in patient with esophagitis (chronic heart bur). The authors felt that waterbed and sleeping posture my induce inhibit acid clearing. The result is that acid stays in the esophagus for prolonged duration, causing local irritation. This irritation is manifest as chronic heart burn.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 19, 1987
