Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

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

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.

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.

GERD is another name for heartburn. There is a backflow of gastric and duodenal content that past the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) into the esophagus. As reflux of gastric acid causes acute epigastric pain after eating a meal. The pain can radiate to the person arm and then chest. The LES usually retains sufficient pressure around the lesser end of the esophagus to close it and prevent reflex. As the sphincter relaxes with each swallow, the food empty into the stomach. High acidity in the stomach triggers irritation and pain as the content enters the esophagus causing reflux esophagitis. In GERD, the sphincter is open, due to incompetent LES pressure or increase pressure within the stomach exceeds LES pressure. The pressure in the stomach propels the content into the esophagus.

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.

Studies have shown that there maybe a relationship between asthma and GERD, but the precise relationship remains uncertain. Asthma symptoms may be worsened by GERD, but GERD can also be worsened by asthma and the medications used to treat asthma. However when treating GERD, the asthma symptoms can be relieved, therefore furthering the suggestive correlation between asthma and GERD. Sometimes clinicians look at GERD to be the cause of asthma when asthma starts in adulthood, worsens after meals, lying down or exercise and when asthma is not responding to treatment. As we discussed earlier, the link between the two remains unknown, but one reason may be that the acid causes injury to the throat and airway, therefore inhalation becomes difficult

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.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is also known as GERD. This is caused by an incompetent lower esophageal sphincter. When the lower esophageal sphincter is functioning properly, it as an anti- reflux barrier. When it is incompetent, the LES allows gastric contents move from the stomach into the esophagus when the person is lying down in a supine position. Or it can be caused by intra-abdominal pressure. There is certain foods, medications, obesity, and pregnancy can exacerbate GERD. A person who smokes cigarettes or cigars is at risk for GERD. A hiatal hernia is a causative factor as well. (Perry, 2011).

Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), commonly known as Acid Reflux, is a disease that is now affecting a lot of teenagers over the world. GERD is a heartburn caused by a leaky valve at the base of your esophagus that allows stomach acid to regurgitate (Livestrong). GERD is also caused by a bacteria found in your stomach known as Helicobacter Pylori. H. Pylori attacks the lining of your stomach and later when it has done enough damage, acidic fluid is able to get through the lining and into your esophagus, causing a heartburn (WebMD). Most people do acquire h. pylori during their childhood but most only develop its symptoms later on in life and some are never affected by the bacteria, never developing any symptoms.

GERD is a condition that occurs when the contents of the stomach back up to the esophagus due to the relaxation or weakening of the lower esophageal sphincter. The common causes of GERD include:

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter or the ring between esophagus and the stomach. (Cold et al., 2017) Dietary and lifestyle choices contribute to GERD. Foods such as chocolate, peppermint, fried foods, coffee, and alcoholic beverages can cause GERD. GERD is caused by stomach acid moving up into the esophagus. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) signs and symptoms might be pain in the chest that has a burning feeling. This happens after eating most of the time. Other symptoms could be heartburn, nausea, dry cough or a bitter taste. These symptoms can or may get worse when laying down. -Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - One of the tests that can be administered

Barrett’s Esophagus can be complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The acid causes the normal simple stratified squamous epithelium to be destroyed and the body replaces the tissue with columnar epithelium, the same tissue present in the stomach. The disease can occur causing symptoms or can be asymptomatic. Not every patient with gastroesophageal reflux disease will develop Barrett’s Esophagus and not every patient who has Barrett’s Esophagus had gastroesophageal reflux disease. Screening is important to help identify patients that may be affected by the disease. Caucasian male populations are at the greatest risk for developing Barrett’s Esophagus which can lead to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Biopsy is required to diagnose

Gastroesophageal reflux is the most common gastrointestinal disorder of the western world. Gallup poles have elucidated that approximately 44 % of the adult population in the U.S. has some abnormal reflux of acidic gastric juices into the esophagus on a monthly basis. Roughly 10% of patients require daily acid suppression medication for relief of symptoms. GERD accounts for over 1.0 million out patient visits to physicians every year! Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close properly, and stomach contents splash back, or reflux, into the esophagus. The LES is a ring of muscle located at the far end of the esophagus as

Peptic ulcer is the same thing but it is located in the lower esophagus, stomach, and duodenum and Gastro esophageal reflux disease is acids that come up from the stomach into the esophagus. Not only do these disorders all deal with acids but they all are an overproduction of these acids. These all cause pain. However the location of the pain is different in the various disorders. All of these require lifestyle changes such as diet, cessation of smoking, alcohol, and caffeine (Huether & McCance, 2012). The risk of gastritis gets higher as we get older because our stomach lining thins with age. Diagnosing consist of history and physical (H&P), H. pylori testing, imaging; such as a barium study as well as endoscopy (EGD). Treatment for gastritis includes antacids, acid reducing medications, antibiotics, and stress management (Mayo Clinic, n.d). Like gastritis, testing for peptic ulcer disease is diagnosed by H&P, H. pylori testing as well as endoscopy. It is also treated like gastritis, although surgery is an option if all other treatments fail (Ramakrishnan & Salinas, 2007). GERD can present in newborns through adults. The diagnosis is by symptoms, testing to monitor the amount of acid in your esophagus, esophageal motility testing, as well as barium swallow and EGD. Treatment is the same as with gastritis and

Many people have a hiatal hernia with no symptoms. The larger the hernia, the more likely that you will have symptoms. In some cases, a hiatal hernia allows stomach acid to flow back into the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach (esophagus). This may cause heartburn symptoms. Severe heartburn symptoms may mean that you have developed a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).