Feeling a burning pain in your chest is not only a sign of person who is having a heart attack but it can be a sign of GERD. If you are a person who always like to eat sour and spicy foods or often lay down after eating, these behaviors disturb your digestive system and can cause you an acid reflux disease. When the acid in your stomach leaks up into your food pipe, you will feel burning in your chest like a heartburn and it will annoy your daily life. Although GERD is a common symptom which can happen to everyone, it should not be ignored.
What is GERD?
GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a symptom wherein stomach acid repeatedly flows back into the esophagus. It can cause inflammation and severe ulcer. GERD can occur in all ages and all genders. This disease is partially caused by an incorrect lifestyle. Patients who have GERD condition is recommended to change their lifestyle and avoid aggravating factors. As GERD cannot be cured by only taking medication, patient should go to consult to doctor for a proper treatment. In case the symptoms do not get better and become chronic, the doctor will recommend for additional examination such as endoscopy for a precise diagnosis.
What Causes GERD?
The main cause of this disease relates to disorders in the function of the esophageal sphincter. The sphincter between the esophagus and stomach gets loosened and relaxed, while it should be firm and fit to prevent a reflux. This condition is also known as gastroesophageal junction incompetence. Others conditions of GERD can be caused by acid or non-acid reflux, impaired esophageal acid clearance, and esophageal hypersensitivity.
GERD Symptoms
Although most common sign and symptoms of GERD are heartburn and regurgitation, there are other symptoms indicating GERD which can divided into 2 categories. First, esophageal symptoms which esophageal membrane appears normal, but a heartburn. The patients can have a typical reflux syndrome and reflux chest pain syndrome. Moreover, some patients can have inflamed esophageal membrane, narrow esophagus, Barret’s esophagus, abnormal esophageal cells and it can become esophageal cancer as well. Second, other symptoms outside the esophagus which are symptoms that directly involve with GERD; coughing due to reflux, laryngitis, an asthmatic episode, and cavities: and symptoms that may indirectly involve with GERD such as bronchitis, sinusitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and otitis media.
However, there are many people still confused the differences between GERD and gastritis. Even these two diseases have similar symptoms, there are still differences. In gastritis, the pain occurs at or just below the xiphoid process, but GERD will feel the burning pain at the same site or a burning sensation at the throat or chest.
GERD Risk factors
Risk factors of GERD are usually caused by our inappropriate behaviors. The most common factors that can aggravate acid reflux include Immediately go to bed after a meal, eating sour and spicy food, obesity, smoking and drinking certain beverages such as alcohol or soft drink. All of these factors can cause acid reflux symptoms.
Prevention and Treatment of GERD
The easiest way to prevent GERD is to change your lifestyles which can be done as follows:
- Avoid smoking, drinking tea, coffee, liquor, soft drinks.
- Avoid spicy food, high fat diet and food that are difficult to digest.
- Reduce weight because excess weight increases the pressure in the abdomen.
- Should not eat in large quantities and should avoid late night meals
- Do not go to bed or lie down immediately after eating. You should wait at least 3 hours.
- Eat a small amount of food per meal.
- Do not wear clothes and belts that are tight, especially around the waist.
- The head of the bed should be raised at least 6 inches using a leg support.
- Do not use the high-bolster sleep method as this will increase the pressure in our abdomen and increase acid reflux.
If the initial behavior change does not improve, medication must be taken to reduce the amount of acid and increase bowel movement. The medications should be taken regularly as prescribed by the doctor and should not reduce the dose, or stop the medication. You should see your doctor as scheduled and continually adjust the dose. If medication is not effective as expected, the doctor may consider surgical treatment. This is to prevent stomach acid from flowing back up into the respiratory system and upper digestive tract.
GERD Conclusion
Although most GERDs are mild, they should not be ignored without treatment as they can develop into a chronic condition and can lead to more serious complications. You are recommended to change your inappropriate lifestyle and avoid aggravating factors which can prevent yourself from GERD before it interferes joy of your eating and your life in the future. If you are having a sign or symptom which indicating to disorder of your digestive system, you should go to see doctor to get precise diagnosis and design a proper treatment.
Feeling a burning pain in your chest is not only a sign of person who is having a heart attack but it can be a sign of GERD. If you are a person who always like to eat sour and spicy foods or often lay down after eating, these behaviors disturb your digestive system and can cause you an acid reflux disease. When the acid in your stomach leak up into your food pipe, you will feel burning in your chest like a heartburn and it will annoy your daily life. Although GERD is a common symptom which can happen to everyone, it should not be ignored.
GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a symptom wherein stomach acid repeatedly flows back into the esophagus. It can cause inflammation and severe ulcer. GERD can occur in all ages and all genders. This disease is partially caused by an incorrect lifestyle. Patients who have GERD condition is recommended to change their lifestyle and avoid aggravating factors. As GERD cannot be cured by only taking medication, patient should go to consult to doctor for a proper treatment. In case the symptoms do not get better and become chronic, the doctor will recommend for additional examination such as endoscopy for a precise diagnosis.
Although most common sign and symptoms of GERD are heartburn and regurgitation, there are other symptoms indicating GERD which can divided into 2 categories. First, esophageal symptoms which esophageal membrane appears normal, but a heartburn. The patients can have a typical reflux syndrome and reflux chest pain syndrome. Moreover, some patients can have inflamed esophageal membrane, narrow esophagus, Barret’s esophagus, abnormal esophageal cells and it can become esophageal cancer as well. Second, other symptoms outside the esophagus which are symptoms that directly involve with GERD; coughing due to reflux, laryngitis, an asthmatic episode, and cavities: and symptoms that may indirectly involve with GERD such as bronchitis, sinusitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and otitis media.
However, there are many people still confused the differences between GERD and gastritis. Even these two diseases have similar symptoms, there are still differences. In gastritis, the pain occurs at or just below the xiphoid process, but GERD will feel the burning pain at the same site or a burning sensation at the throat or chest.
The main cause of this disease relates to disorders in the function of the esophageal sphincter. The sphincter between the esophagus and stomach gets loosened and relaxed, while it should be firm and fit to prevent a reflux. This condition is also known as gastroesophageal junction incompetence. Others conditions of GERD can be caused by acid or non-acid reflux, impaired esophageal acid clearance, and esophageal hypersensitivity.
Risk factors of GERD are usually caused by our inappropriate behaviors. The most common factors that can aggravate acid reflux include Immediately go to bed after a meal, eating sour and spicy food, obesity, smoking and drinking certain beverages such as alcohol or soft drink. All of these factors can cause acid reflux symptoms.
The easiest way to prevent GERD is to change your lifestyles which can be done as follows:
- Avoid smoking, drinking tea, coffee, liquor, soft drinks.
- Avoid spicy food, high fat diet and food that are difficult to digest.
- Reduce weight because excess weight increases the pressure in the abdomen.
- Should not eat in large quantities and should avoid late night meals
- Do not go to bed or lie down immediately after eating. You should wait at least 3 hours.
- Eat a small amount of food per meal.
- Do not wear clothes and belts that are tight, especially around the waist.
- The head of the bed should be raised at least 6 inches using a leg support.
- Do not use the high-bolster sleep method as this will increase the pressure in our abdomen and increase acid reflux.
If the initial behavior change does not improve, medication must be taken to reduce the amount of acid and increase bowel movement. The medications should be taken regularly as prescribed by the doctor and should not reduce the dose, or stop the medication. You should see your doctor as scheduled and continually adjust the dose. If medication is not effective as expected, the doctor may consider surgical treatment. This is to prevent stomach acid from flowing back up into the respiratory system and upper digestive tract.
Although most GERDs are mild, they should not be ignored without treatment as they can develop into a chronic condition and can lead to more serious complications. You are recommended to change your inappropriate lifestyle and avoid aggravating factors which can prevent yourself from GERD before it interferes joy of your eating and your life in the future. If you are having a sign or symptom which indicating to disorder of your digestive system, you should go to see doctor to get precise diagnosis and design a proper treatment.