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Acid reflux : Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)

  • Writer: Chelsy Oloo
    Chelsy Oloo
  • Aug 21
  • 2 min read
                      [Image: A man experiencing acid reflux symptoms]
                      [Image: A man experiencing acid reflux symptoms]

Eating is one of the most enjoyable things we do. However, some people have difficulty with certain foods.



Imagine enjoying your favorite meal with friends and family, only for your stomach to react by bringing it back up. If this happens more than twice, it may indicate an underlying problem that requires attention. Your body is trying to tell you something.



This underlying problem could be gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).



What is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a condition in which stomach contents flow back from the stomach into the esophagus (food pipe). 




Symptoms of GERD

Typical symptoms of GERD are:

  • Heartburn or burning pain in the chest

  • Bringing food back up (regurgitation)


Less common symptoms are:

  • Nausea after eating

  • Cough or wheezing

  • Difficulty swallowing (make sure to discuss with your provider)

  • Hiccups

  • Hoarseness or change in voice

  • Sore throat


Symptoms may  worsen when you bend over or lie down, or after eating. They may also worsen at night.


What Causes GERD?

When you eat, food passes from the throat to the stomach through the esophagus. A ring of muscle fibers in the lower esophagus prevents swallowed food from flowing back up. These fibers are  the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).



When this ring of muscle does not close completely, stomach content can leak back into the esophagus. This is called reflux or gastroesophageal reflux. Harsh stomach acids can also damage the (Mucosa) lining of the oesophagus. 



What increases your chances of GERD?


There is an increased chance of developing GERD in the following situations:

  • Use of alcohol (possibly)

  • Obesity

  • Pregnancy

  • Scleroderma

  • Smoking or Tobacco use

  • Lying down within 3 hours after eating

  • Hiatal hernia ( a condition in which part of the stomach moves above the diaphragm, which is the muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities )


Treatment of GERD

Tips on how to treat your symptoms:

  • Raise the head of the bed if your symptoms get worse at night

  • Avoid medicines such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen.Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) to relieve pain.

  • Take all your medicines with plenty of water.When your provider gives you a new medicine, ask whether it will make your heartburn worse.


You can use over-the-counter and prescriptions medicines like these:

  • Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) decrease the amount of acid produced in your stomach

  • H2 blockers also lowers the amount of acid released in the stomach

  • Potassium competitive  acid blockers (PCABs) are the newest medicine that decreases stomach acid


Final thoughts on GERD

Here are some of the foods that help patients with GERD:

  • Ripe banana

  • Youghurt

  • Carrot

  • Oat meal

Here are some foods that trigger  stomach acids:

  • Spicy foods

  • Fatty foods

  • Wheat

  • Processed foods

  • Carbonated drinks e.g soda,energy drinks


Certain foods may react differently,Kindly check in with your body to see which foods are your comfortable with.


Contact  your provider if symptoms do not improve with lifestyle changes, medicine or change of diet.


Also contact your provider if you have:

  • Bleeding

  • Choking (shortness of breath)

  • Feeling vomiting

  • Hoarseness

  • Loss of appetite

  • Dysphagia(trouble swallowing )or Odynophagia (pain with swallowing)

  • Weight loss

  • A feeling like food or pills sticking behind the breast bone



References:

-MedlinePlus

-National Library of Medicine


Written by Chelsy Oloo



 
 
 

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