GERD

GERD is an acronym that stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease. This is a condition whereby the food or drink leaks backward from the stomach into the digestive tract known as esophagus. In doing so the esophagus becomes irritated resulting in heartburn and other symptoms. GERD is also caused by changes such as weakened expulsion of gastric reflux from the esophagus or a hiatal hernia. Theses changes are usually permanent or temporary. Normally when you eat, food goes from the throat to the stomach via the esophagus. The moment the food gets to the stomach, a ring of muscle fiber prevents the food from flowing back to the esophagus called sphincter muscle.
Some of the risk factors of GERD are alcohol, obesity, pregnancy, scleroderma, smoking and hiatial hernia. Hiatial hernia is a condition in which part of the stomach rises above the diaphragm. Heartburn or GERD can also be brought about or worsened by many medications such as bronchodilators for asthma, dopamine active drugs for Parkinson’s disease, progestion for birth control, anticholinergics for seasickness etc. Common GERD symptoms are feeling like food is stuck right behind the breastbone, heartburn and nausea after eating. In some cases though not commonly, there could be difficulty swallowing, hiccups, coughing, sore throat, voice change or huskiness and regurgitation which is food coming back up.
A GERD test is only done in cases where the symptoms are severe and they keep recurring even after treatment. Some of the tests that are done to diagnose reflux or any other related complications are EGD, barium swallow, and esophageal pH monitoring as well as esophageal manometry. EGD is a procedure that is done to test and examine the esophagus for damage. The health provider inserts a very thin tube with a tiny camera at the end of your mouth. Then the tube is passed into your digestive tract, stomach and small intestine. A stool test is also done to diagnose bleeding that might be occurring as a result of the irritation in the esophagus, stomach or intestines. To detect if a child is suffering from this condition is hard especially if they can not describe the symptoms. GERD in infants may cause repeated vomiting, coughing, spitting up and other respiratory complications. The children might also cry in an inconsolable manner, decline to eat, lose weight, have bad breath or burp and belch too much.
To treat GERD, you may make changes in your lifestyle to help in treating your symptoms. Some of the changes might include avoiding foods that cause problems before you go to bed. Other lifestyle changes that are used as treatment is sleeping on your left or with your upper body raised, losing weight and eating smaller meals. Gaining weight increases your risk of heartburn which in return predisposes you to GERD.
You may also use over the counter antacids after meals or at bedtime even though they only provide relief for a short while and they cause diarrhea or constipation as side effects. There are also other over the counter prescriptions which provide relief for longer periods even though they act slowly. These drugs are proton pump inhibitors which help in decreasing your acidity levels and antagonists which lower the amount of acids discharged in your stomach. For patients whose symptoms persist, they could undergo anti-reflux operations.
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