Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Sensitive Gut (Harvard Special Health Reports)
In consultation with Lawrence S. Friedman, M.D. Stanford, CT
In this article, you are informed about a disease that is occurring more often in our society. It is commonly referred to as “heartburn” but is more appropriately named acid reflux disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Most people suffer from this disease, but think nothing of it. Perhaps they have felt it after a big meal, lying down after eating, during pregnancy, or even when bending over. Most people feel that GERD occurs after eating spicy foods, when in fact the major cause of GERD is fatty foods and the quantity of foods eaten.
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There are many different ways to treat GERD. You have many different options ranging from drug store remedies, drug prescriptions, and surgery. Some of the easiest things you can do involve a simple dietary and eating habits.
• If certain foods or drinks tend to increase or cause GERD, avoid them.
• Eat less fried or fatty foods.
• Eat smaller meals. Instead of eating one or two large meals a day, eat 3, 4, or 5 smaller meals instead.
• Relax when you eat. Since stress can cause GERD, take you time and eat slowly.
• Relax between meals. This will cut down on stress and GERD occurance.
• Remain in an upright position after eating for atleast 3 hours.
• Avoid bedtime snacks. No eating within 3 hours of bed.
• Lose weight. Excess weight increases pressure on the stomach and helps push acid in to the esophagus.
• Loosen up your clothes. Tight clothes can put pressure on your stomach too.
• Stop smoking.
• Chew gum to increase saliva production which sooths the esophagus and washes acid back into the stomach.
• Raise your head at
Antacids are medicines that can be bought over-the-counter which are taken by mouth and can help to quickly relieve acidic refluxes in the body.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antacid The major symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), are taste of acid, bad breath, chest pains, etc. GERD is a long term condition where stomach contents come back up into the esophagus. Complications include esophageal strictures and Barrett’s esophagus.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastroesophageal_reflux_disease An Esophageal Stricture is a narrowing or tightening of the esophagus that causes swallowing difficulties.
Is the pain worse after eating a meal? If yes what type of meal is it? ( r/o GERD) burning (can indicate GERD), stabbing pain
Decrease consumption of food and/or beverages that trigger acid reflux that include: spicy, fatty foods (which can slow the emptying of the stomach), chocolate, peppermint, citrus, onion, and garlic, alcohol, carbonated drinks, and caffeine. Avoid meals 3 hours before bedtime.
Ms. Le is a 25 year-old female, with a height of 5’0” and weights 160 lbs. She described herself as not very active who does not regularly exercise and consumes a high amount of fast food and a few alcoholic beverages weekly. She is currently taking prescription medication called Caziant as a contraceptive and moderately takes ibuprofen for headaches and heartburns. She has a medical history of vomiting, heartburn, chest pains, and sever tooth erosion. Due to the many examinations that Ms. Le underwent such as the endoscopy and ph-monitoring test, she was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease also known as GERD.
The build up of stomach acid may cause irritation and excess pain to individuals. Luckily, antacids being a weak base can help relieve the symptoms and pain. Antacids, such as Gelusil, Medi-Firs, Alka Seltzer, and Alcalak are neutralizing agents of acids that become helpful to the human body when heartburn occurs. Heartburn, also known as acid reflux is a common medical issue that occurs when hydrochloric acid (HCl) from the stomach moves backward along the digestive track to the esophagus (located within the throat). This reverse flow of fluids causes a burning sensation due to and possible sour taste that is characteristic of acids [1].
Commonly known as heartburn or reflux, is a condition where reflux of the gastric content into the oesophagus leads to symptoms which significantly impact a person's quality of life. Gastroesophageal reflux disease gerd is the most prevalent acid related disorder and is associated with significant impairment of health-related quality of life. Gastroesophageal reflux disease gerd occurs when acid and food in the stomach back up into the esophagus.Gerd often occurs when the lower muscle (sphincter) of the esophagus does not close properly. The sphincter normally opens to let food into the stomach. It then closes to keep food and stomach acid in the stomach. If the sphincter does not close properly, stomach acid and food back up (reflux) into the esophagus. The following may increase your risk for gerd. Gerd may be associated with several extra esophageal syndromes such as chronic cough, asthma, laryngitis, oropharyngeal ulceration and dental erosions. Available evidence indicates that therapy response rates in gerd are related to the degree of acid suppression achieved. Having an appropriate discussion with a physician is key to understanding the condition, available treatment options and the degree to which acid suppression can be achieved.
When suffering from GERD, it is important to know how to adjust in order to decrease the likelihood from suffering from signs and symptoms of this disease. A person with GERD should try to figure out what kind of food triggers the reflux. There are many foods that may irritate our stomach, for example, coffee, alcohols, tomatoes, and fatty foods, however, each and every one of us may be sensitive for a particular food/beverage and once we find out what it is we have to eliminate it. It is also crucial to decrease the size of our meal. If we are prone to acid reflux, it is important that we don’t lie flat for three hours after we have eaten a meal or snack.
Lifestyle changes are important factor in combating GERD. Loss of weight, avoidance of the foods causing the reflux, and staying upright for several hours after eating can all aid in preventing or minimizing the reflux. Antacids can assist in the treatment of occasional heartburn but will not help GERD. The use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) diminish the daily will diminish the reflux and allow healing of the esophagus (Collins, 2018). RLZ is on the PPI, Prilosec. He has not opted to change his alcohol consumption nor diet food choses at this time. He does remain upright for several hours after the meal of the day prior to retiring for the evening.
When we eat, food travels down the esophagus and passes through a flap (the lower esophageal sphincter) to drop into the stomach. This flap is only supposed to open to allow food to pass down or gas to pass up (a burp). It can also open when we need to regurgitate (throw up). If the opens to much or does not close properly, stomach acid may splash up,
Control gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD). See your doctor about getting GERD under control, it can be controlled early enough to possibly prevent esophageal cancer.
GERD is a condition caused by stomach acid or stomach content coming up from the stomach into the esophagus. This backwash causes irritation in the esophagus, as the stomach acid damages the esophageal lining. Most cases of GERD occur in infants and adults. For infants, the most common cause of GERD is due to pyloric stenosis, a condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract as it narrows the pylorus. This causes food to flow backward as it cannot make its way to the stomach, thus causing the baby to vomit. In adults, the most common cause of
Once diagnosed, I found the paucity of reliable, concrete treatments shocking; but, using extensive PubMed research, I cured myself within a year. I overcame GERD by changing habits, chugging gallons of aloe vera leaf juice and essentially understanding my body’s natural processes and ethnobotany, which I found personally relieving and intellectually fascinating. My victory prompted me to partake in Townsend’s series of scientific research classes, requiring my joining an academic laboratory
Stress can cause mental disorders like anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), but it can also cause gastrointestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and peptic ulcer disease. I found the article The neurobiology of stress and gastrointestinal diseases which discusses the correlation between the two.
GERD is a chronic condition. Once it begins, it usually is life-long. If there is injury to the lining of the esophagus (esophagitis), this also is a chronic condition. Moreover, after the esophagus has healed with treatment and treatment is stopped, the injury will return in most patients within a few months. Once treatment for GERD is begun it will need to be continued indefinitely although. However, some patients with intermittent symptoms and no esophagitis can be treated only during symptomatic periods.
GERD is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter. When the lower esophageal sphincter gets weak, the acid backed up in the esophagus causing pain and discomfort. Heart burn is a common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and it is caused by the irritation of the stomach acid (DeBruyne & Pinna, 2012). This can create a burning discomfort in the upper abdomen.