Acid Reflux Explained » gerd

What Is GERD?

acid — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:53:35 +0000

What is GERD? It is now quite common to hear the terms acid reflux or GERD. It is very likely that you or someone you know suffers from Gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD or acid reflux. But what exactly is it? I found this great article that gives an excellent overview.

What is GERD?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD occurs when the acidic gastric juices
from the stomach flow up into the esophagus. As these juices are allowed to flow into and irritate the lining of the esophagus, a burning
sensation is felt in the lower chest. If these symptoms of heartburn are not controlled with modifications in lifestyle, and
over-the-counter medicines are needed two or more times a week, you should see your physician. When GERD is not treated, serious
complications can occur, such as severe chest pain that can mimic a heart attack, esophageal stricture (the narrowing of the esophagus),
bleeding, or a pre-cancerous change in the lining of the esophagus known as Barrett’s Esophagus.

What are the causes of GERD?

One possible GERD cause is the weakness of the muscle at the base of the
esophagus that connects and controls the flow of food in to the stomach, known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). As food travels down
the esophagus, the sphincter opens to let food flow into the stomach. Normally it closes as soon as the food enters the stomach. With
heartburn, the sphincter does not close tightly. This allows stomach acid to flow back up into the esophagus (often called acid reflux),
causing a burning sensation.

Other causes include excess acid production and other diseases that interfere
with food passing through the esophagus.

GERD Symptoms

Frequent heartburn is the most common GERD symptom. However, patients may also
experience some of the following:

sour or bitter taste
bitter stomach fluid coming into the mouth, especially during sleep
hoarseness
repeatedly feeling a need to clear the throat
difficulty swallowing food or liquid
wheezing or coughing at night
worsening of symptoms after eating, or when bending over or lying down

Diagnosing GERD

Diagnostic tests for GERD may include:

Upper GI Series-a series of x-rays of the upper digestive system taken after drinking a barium solution
24-hour pH Monitoring-a probe placed in the esophagus to keep track of the level of acidity in the lower esophagus. This is done over a 24-hour period.
Manometry-measures muscle pressures of the lower esophagus (LES)
Endoscopy-looking at the esophagus and stomach through a thin, lighted flexible tube that is passed down the throat
Biopsy-removing a small sample of esophageal tissue to measure the amount of acid or pressure in the esophagus

GERD Complications

Heartburn can feel like the pain associated with a heart attack. Never assume
that chest pain is heartburn or indigestion. Seek medical care if you’re not sure.

Complications occur when GERD is severe or long-standing. Constant irritation of
the esophagus by stomach acid can lead to inflammation, ulcers, and bleeding. Anemia or low blood count may develop. Over time, scarring and
narrowing of the esophagus can also develop, making it difficult to swallow and pass food through the esophagus. This narrowing is called a
stricture.

Some patients develop a condition called Barrett’s Esophagus, which is a serious
change in the cells lining the esophagus. Barrett’s Esophagus may be a precursor of esophageal cancer.

GERD Prevention

Certain diet and lifestyle choices can contribute to the condition. For example,
certain foods increase acid production, and fatty foods increase the time food remains in the stomach. Chocolate, peppermint, coffee,
alcoholic beverages, and especially nicotine in cigarette smoke weaken or relax the LES. Obesity places added pressure on the upper abdomen,
and during pregnancy the LES weakens for unknown reasons.

GERD Treatment

When symptoms of heartburn are not controlled with modifications in lifestyle,
and over-the-counter medicines are needed two or more times a week, or symptoms remain unresolved on the medication you are taking, you
should consult your physician.

Treatment should be designed to: 1) eliminate symptoms; 2) heal esophagitis;
and 3) prevent the relapse of esophagitis or development of complications in patients with esophagitis.

In many patients, GERD is a chronic, relapsing disease. The goals of long-term
maintenance are to control the symptoms and prevent complications. Maintenance therapy will vary in individuals ranging from basic lifestyle

modifications to prescription medication as treatment.

Lifestyle Modification

In order to decrease the amount of gastric contents that reach the lower

esophagus, certain simple guidelines should be followed:

Raise the Head of the Bed or use under-mattress foam wedge to elevate the head about 6-10 inches. Pillows are not an effective alternative for elevating the head in preventing reflux.
Change Eating and Sleeping Habits. Avoid lying down for two hours after eating. Do not eat for at least two hours before bedtime. This decreases the amount of stomach acid available for reflux.
Reduce your weight if obesity contributes to the problem.
Change Your Diet. Avoid foods and medications that lower LES tone (fats and chocolate) and foods that may irritate the damaged lining of the esophagus (citrus juice, tomato juice, and probably pepper).
Avoid Habits That Contribute to GERD. Both smoking and the use of alcoholic beverages lower LES pressure, which contributes to acid reflux.
Avoid foods and beverages that contribute to heartburn: chocolate, coffee, peppermint, greasy or spicy foods, tomato products and alcoholic beverages.
Stop smoking. Tobacco inhibits saliva, which is the body’s major buffer. Tobacco may also stimulate stomach acid production and relax the muscle between the esophagus and the stomach, permitting acid reflux to occur.

The goal of each treatment is to decrease the amount of acidic stomach fluid

leaking back into the esophagus or make that fluid less irritating to the lining of the esophagus.

GERD Diet

Your doctor may recommend avoiding:

caffeine
chocolate and peppermint
spicy and/or tomato-based foods like pizza, wings, sausages
fruits from the citrus family like oranges and tomatoes
fried and fatty foods
peppermint and spearmint
whole milk
cold cuts, bacon, fatty meat, chicken skin
cream-based soups

Medical Treatment of GERD

GERD has a physical cause, and frequently is not curtailed by these lifestyle factors alone. If you are using
over-the-counter medications two or more times a week, or are still having symptoms on the prescription or other medicines you are taking,
you need to see your doctor. If results are not forthcoming, medications may be used to neutralize acid, increase LES tone, or improve
gastric emptying. Promotility Agents increase lower esophageal sphincter pressure, which helps prevent acid reflux, and improves the movement
of food from the stomach. H2 blockers and Proton Pump lnhibitors decrease the flow of stomach acid.

Beth Guida is an author for e-Healthcare Solutions, Inc. in Ewing, NJ.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_Guida

*** Sick and tired of GERD interfering in your life? Get your answers from Stop Acid Reflux Now ***

Acid Reflux GERD

acid — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:24:46 +0000

If you haven’t suffered with it, chances are someone close to you has experienced Acid Reflux GERD. Frequently known as heartburn, this is a condition in which the acid in the stomach backs up into the esophagus. This can cause temporary discomfort, easily relieved for some all the way up to extreme pain and can cause esophagitis (damage to the throat). So, how do you know if this is what you are suffering with, and what can you do to relieve symptoms of acid reflux GERD?

SIGNS /SYMPTOMS of GERD

GERD is a chronic condition, so it is more serious than occasional heartburn. While some patients experience symptoms less often, an effective treatment needs to be found to help the problem. To find out if you are suffering from acid reflux GERD, you may experience pain in the middle of the chest, spreading into the neck. Some sufferers mistake it for a heart attack the pain can be so intense. This pain can last two or more hours.

The onset of gerd generally happens after eating, and lying down can make it worse. Other symptoms include acid regurgitating into your mouth, a bitter taste, and a dry cough / hoarseness in the morning. Children with acid reflux gerd may experience vomiting and other respiratory problems.

*For more information on signs and symptoms of acid reflux gerd, CLICK HERE!*

HOME TREATMENTS

Severe cases of acid reflux may need the attention of a doctor, but there are some simple steps that you can take at home to alleviate the symptoms or avoid the onset of reflux. Once you have suffered through a bout of acid reflux, the adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure will become your mantra when eating.

Since the stomach can only handle a certain amount of food, eating smaller meals more often instead of one huge meal will help the stomach acid break food down at a reasonable rate instead of being forced up. Don’t lie down right after eating, and avoid eating late at night. As an added measure of help, raise the foot of the bed by six to eight inches with blocks to aid gravity in acid reflux relief.

Greasy and acidic food will trigger attacks. Don’t eat cream or tomato based foods, fatty fried things, chocolate or caffeine. Mints are also known to be problematic, as well as smoking and alcohol. Find out what your specific triggers are and avoid those foods, or be prepared with an antacid nearby.

ANTACIDS

Taken ahead of time, antacids neutralize the acid in the stomach. Best taken every few days, these will help with heartburn, but can cause side effects over a long period of time. Gaviscon, Maalox, Mylanta, and Tums are the popular brands.

A second type of antacid, known as H-2 blocker, also help with heartburn by preventing acid production. Tagament, Pepcid, and Zantac fall into this category. These work best one hour before meals, since they don’t affect acid already in the stomach, just the new production of acid.

If you suffer from severe acid reflux GERD and trying these steps at home does not relieve symptoms, your doctor can help. There are more invasive ways to treat your symptoms, and your doctor can determine if there is any damage or if surgery is necessary. Good luck in finding relief!

Symptoms of Acid Reflux

acid — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:15:12 +0000

Acid Reflux, also known as GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is a very common ailment, afflicting millions of people all over the world. While there is no consensus on exactly what causes acid reflux disease symptoms or what is the best remedy for acid reflux, everyone can agree on one thing- it is an extremely unpleasant condition to have.

The symptoms of acid reflux include a pain in the center of the esophagus (the familiar symptoms of “heartburn”) and in some cases, difficulty swallowing. These symptoms of acid reflux tend to be worse at night, especially after a heavy evening meal. Acid reflux is not an especially serious disease, but it is certainly one that no one wants to have.

If you only suffer from the symptoms of acid reflux once in a great while, this is probably not serious – everyone has a touch of heartburn from time to time. When people talk about acid reflux disease, they generally mean cases where the symptoms of acid reflux recur often, usually being quite severe. An occasional bout of heartburn, however, is probably nothing to get too worried about.

If you suffer from the symptoms of acid reflux disease, then you know how painful and irritating it can be. Thankfully, there are some things which you can do to stop acid reflux now and make your acid reflux episodes less frequent.

One of these ways to lessen the symptoms of acid reflux is to avoid foods which tend to trigger symptoms. These foods differ from person to person, but the most common ones are acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits and so on. Other common triggers are fried foods, alcoholic beverages and coffee. The best way to determine which foods are giving you trouble is to keep a “food diary” and track what you ate and when you had symptoms of acid reflux. If a particular food causes acid reflux episodes repeatedly, you’ll want to eliminate it from your diet. By simply avoiding the foods which are triggering your symptoms of acid reflux, you’ll avoid suffering from this problem less often.

Your posture also plays a role in acid reflux. If you tend to recline after eating, this makes it much easier for stomach acid to work its way into the esophagus (this is what is responsible for heartburn). Remember what your parents always told you and make an effort to stand up and sit straighter.

You can also prevent some acid reflux episodes by simply taking a walk after your meals – this stimulates digestion and allows you some time where your esophagus is not in a good position for the symptoms of acid reflux to appear.

By following these simple tips and adopting healthy lifestyle habits like a good diet and regular exercise, you’ll be able to avoid suffering the symptoms of acid reflux as often – and of course, you’ll enjoy better health overall, which is never a bad thing.

Find out how an acid reflux sufferer, fed up from repeated debiliting bouts of acid reflux, stood up to the uncaring drug companies and discovered guaranteed relief in the most surprising place.