Why Does Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Happen and How Can We Treat It?
What is GERD?
Commonly known as acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that causes stomach acid to flow up into your esophagus. As you can imagine, it’s not pleasant. Symptoms vary from person to person but include heartburn, chest pain, a sour taste in your mouth or even asthma attacks.
Learn about the common symptoms
Heartburn, acid regurgitation, or trouble swallowing food can all be symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If you’re experiencing heartburn or other symptoms that seem related to acid in your stomach, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your doctor. Not only can he help you figure out if GERD is causing your discomfort, but he can also help determine if there are any dietary changes you should make.
Is it serious?
In most cases, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a completely manageable condition, meaning you don’t need to go on prescription medication unless you have complications from it. If GERD is causing pain or discomfort in your throat, chest, or upper abdomen—as well as an association with a meal—you should be checked out by your doctor for Gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment in coimbatore.
Lifestyle Changes To Help
The first thing we need to talk about with regards to GERD is lifestyle changes that you can make to help reduce symptoms. For starters, keeping a healthy body weight will go a long way in helping your GERD. Overweight individuals are more likely to develop acid reflux and they tend to suffer from worse symptoms than those who are of a normal weight. That's because excess body fat puts pressure on your abdomen which in turn makes it harder for stomach acid to stay where it belongs (in your stomach). If you've been diagnosed with GERD then it's best not only to lose weight, but also keep a close eye on how much alcohol you drink, if any at all.
Medical Treatment Options
When you’re living with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), there are some things you can do at home to treat your symptoms. At night, sleep on an incline. The most comfortable position for digestion is with your head higher than your stomach, so try sleeping on a couch or recliner (or elevate your bed using milk crates under each corner). Taking a hot shower before bed can also relax tense muscles in your upper body.
Surgery as a last resort
Surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a last resort after other treatment options have failed. Surgery for GERD involves making tiny changes to the lining of your stomach in order to reduce symptoms. This surgery, called fundoplication, is only recommended if there are complications from GERD that can't be treated with medications. One example of these complications would be bleeding ulcers caused by acid or other substances backing up into your esophagus (food pipe). Before you consider surgery, it's a good idea to meet with several surgeons who specialize in GERD and find out what kind of success they've had with their treatments—and also ask about long-term risks and complications that aren't immediately apparent.
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