Contributed by: Healthians Team
Introduction
If you suffer from acid reflux regularly, going about your daily routine can be challenging.
However, if the acid reflux happens more frequently (two or more times a week), then you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
This digestive disorder has been associated with significant deterioration in the quality of life and results in interfered physical activity, impaired social functioning, and disturbed sleep.
Let’s look more closely at this disease, what causes it, and why it’s critical to seek expert care if you have GERD.
What is GERD?
It’s a chronic condition characterized by frequent episodes of acid reflux.
In GERD, the stomach acid flows back into your throat via the oesophagus.
This occurs when the lower oesophagal sphincter – the ring of muscle at the end of the oesophagus – does not function properly.
When these muscles relax or weaken at inopportune periods, stomach acid flows back up the food pipe.
Symptoms of GERD
Although the symptoms of GERD and acute acid reflux seem similar, the intensity and frequency of these symptoms are different.
Frequent heartburn — two to three times per week — is the most common symptom of GERD. Other bothersome symptoms include:
- A burning sensation in your chest after meals
- Chest pain, particularly while sleeping
- Trouble swallowing food
- Pain in the stomach
- Heartburn
- Regurgitation of food (unpleasant movement of material upwards from the stomach)
- A sensation of a lump in your throat
- Sore, raw throat or hoarseness in voice
- The sour taste of acid, especially when lying down
- Burping acid into the mouth
Causes of GERD
There is no single cause of GERD, but rather a list of potential causes, including:
Weakened Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES)
The LES can become weakened or compromised for a variety of causes, including regular overeating, smoking, or consuming alcohol.
High-fat diets also relax the LES, and certain drugs, such as blood pressure meds, antibiotics, and antidepressants, might harm it.
Hiatal hernias
This occurs when a piece of the stomach goes up into the chest. Parts of the stomach can shift upwards when the diaphragm—a muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen—is not intact.
The LES’s ability to prevent food from ascending up the oesophagus is reduced as a result. GERD is one of the most prevalent symptoms of Hiatal hernias.
Delayed Gastric Emptying (DGE):
DGE is a medical condition in which your body delays or prevents the flow of food from your stomach to your small intestine, enabling food to remain in your stomach for longer than it should.
This might occur as a result of post-operative complications or certain disorders.
Due to an increase in stomach contents, DGE puts enormous pressure on the LES, and research has established that DGE combined with a weaker LES is a sure-fire formula for GERD.
Irregular diet and lifestyle
Excessive smoking and alcohol consumption, eating too many fatty and greasy meals like deep-fried dishes, and even taking too much aspirin can all raise your chance of getting GERD symptoms.
Obesity
People who are overweight are at a higher risk of developing GERD. While the reasons behind this are not fully understood, it is thought to be associated with increased abdominal pressure.
Risk factors and complications
Although GERD isn’t life-threatening in itself, chronic inflammation over a period of several weeks of the oesophagus can lead to more serious complications.
These include a constriction of the food pipe and open sores caused by acid burns, often known as oesophageal ulcers. If left undetected and untreated, these issues might diminish your appetite and even interfere with your sleep quality.
The most serious risk of long-term GERD is the development of Barret’s Oesophagus.
This happens when the cells lining the oesophagus develop aberrant alterations as a result of recurrent interaction with stomach acid.
Barret’s Oesophagus increases your risk of acquiring oesophageal cancer.
GERD treatment
GERD can often be controlled with self-help measures. A few lifestyle and dietary changes can help ease the symptoms of GERD or even prevent the condition:
- Quitting smoking
- Avoiding alcohol
- Losing weight if you are overweight
- Eating smaller meals
- Wearing loose-fitting clothes
- Avoiding carbonated beverages
- Refraining from lying down quickly after eating
- Sleeping with your upper torso slightly elevated
If your symptoms persist and do not improve despite home cures, consult a doctor.
Diet and GERD
Clinical evidence indicates that some foods can make GERD symptoms worse. These include:
- Citrus fruits and juices
- Chocolate
- Drinks or foods with caffeine
- Fatty or fried foods
- Garlic and onions
- Alcoholic beverages
- Peppermint
- Spicy foods
- Tomato-based foods
Final thoughts
If you have accepted acid reflux as a way of life, it’s time to reconsider.
Make an appointment with a gastroenterologist — a doctor who specialises in treating and managing digestive issues – and start your journey to digestive health right away.
It’s also highly recommended to take regular stomach tests to keep a check on your digestive health, especially if you experience the symptoms of an unhealthy stomach, frequently.
