GERD, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, takes place when the stomach's acids unwantedly jump back into the esophagus. Patients experience a burning sensation (that's called heartburn). It's therefore imperative that the patients change their lifestyles in order to avoid further complications like Barrett's esophagus which increases the likelihood of cancer. Several pharmaceutical medicines are also available, some of them even homeopathic. If you think you might have GERD, you should have it checked out by a doctor.
GERD is caused by the weakening of the muscle located at the lower end of the esophagus. A healthy esophagus closes when the food you've just consumed enters the stomach, but if you're suffering from heartburn, it doesn't and acids continue to go up the esophagus instead of staying in your stomach. Acid reflux can also be caused if your body produces acid too much. The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn, as mentioned earlier. Some patients also report that they experience some difficulty when swallowing food and drinks, sour taste in the mouth and stomach fluid entering their mouths.
The disease can be diagnosed in multiple ways, in some cases even with biopsy. Sometimes a misdiagnosis can happen, because a patient might confuse the burning sensation they fell with a heart attack and vice-versa. There are also certain complication associated with it if left untreated. Constant acid bath of the esophagus may cause inflammation and in some cases even bleeding. This leads the esophagus into becoming scarred and damaged, in some cases it might even narrow down, causing the difficulty in swallowing certain foods.
Contrary to popular belief, there is a lot you can do to prevent GERD from occurring. You can change your eating habits, for example, and that helps a lot. Because if you eat meals with a lot of fat in them, chances are they are actually worsening your condition, so avoid those at any cost. You should also avoid smoking and alcohol. Unfortunately, you will also have to cut back on sweets, because chocolate and peppermint have been proven to irritate your stomach and thus worsen the condition.
It might also help a bit if you raise your pillow when sleeping. That way the acids from the stomach will have a harder time coming up. Also, it's recommended that you don't eat 3 hours before going to bed. Avoid spicy foods, even if they taste good. Actually, avoid anything that you judge to be aggressive to the stomach. That includes fried foods (yes, I know how tasty they are, but you're going to have to live with that one).
Most importantly of all, follow the advice of your doctor, because he's there to determine what the best course of action for your condition will be. And know that by changing certain habits in your life, you can do wonders for yourself and your health.
GERD is caused by the weakening of the muscle located at the lower end of the esophagus. A healthy esophagus closes when the food you've just consumed enters the stomach, but if you're suffering from heartburn, it doesn't and acids continue to go up the esophagus instead of staying in your stomach. Acid reflux can also be caused if your body produces acid too much. The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn, as mentioned earlier. Some patients also report that they experience some difficulty when swallowing food and drinks, sour taste in the mouth and stomach fluid entering their mouths.
The disease can be diagnosed in multiple ways, in some cases even with biopsy. Sometimes a misdiagnosis can happen, because a patient might confuse the burning sensation they fell with a heart attack and vice-versa. There are also certain complication associated with it if left untreated. Constant acid bath of the esophagus may cause inflammation and in some cases even bleeding. This leads the esophagus into becoming scarred and damaged, in some cases it might even narrow down, causing the difficulty in swallowing certain foods.
Contrary to popular belief, there is a lot you can do to prevent GERD from occurring. You can change your eating habits, for example, and that helps a lot. Because if you eat meals with a lot of fat in them, chances are they are actually worsening your condition, so avoid those at any cost. You should also avoid smoking and alcohol. Unfortunately, you will also have to cut back on sweets, because chocolate and peppermint have been proven to irritate your stomach and thus worsen the condition.
It might also help a bit if you raise your pillow when sleeping. That way the acids from the stomach will have a harder time coming up. Also, it's recommended that you don't eat 3 hours before going to bed. Avoid spicy foods, even if they taste good. Actually, avoid anything that you judge to be aggressive to the stomach. That includes fried foods (yes, I know how tasty they are, but you're going to have to live with that one).
Most importantly of all, follow the advice of your doctor, because he's there to determine what the best course of action for your condition will be. And know that by changing certain habits in your life, you can do wonders for yourself and your health.
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