GERD Cause
GERD means gastro-esophageal-reflux-disease. It means that the top valve of your stomach does not close tight enough, allowing acid to shoot back up your swallow pipe (esophagus) like an acid geyser.
GERD Diagnosis
GERD can be diagnosed through a barium swallow. In this test you are given an indicator like chalk to drink while xrays are taken as it passes into your stomach, then regurgitated back up. The indicator allows the xray to be able to see as it happens as liquids are normally poorly seen by xray.
GERD Symptoms
- Burning pain in the mid line of your chest - heartburn.
- Acid, bitter, or slimy regurgitation in your mouth.
- Burning stomach worse when lying flat.
- Indigestion, bloating, and burping.
- Pain in the pit of your stomach or along your esophagus.
GERD Treatment
- Antacids like antihistamines or proton pump inhibitors. Antihistamines block acid secretion signals and PPI's stop the acid secretion mechanism of the stomach.They can be used together. Antihistamines such as Zantac and Pepcid are used twice daily while PPIs like Nexium and Losec can be used once a day.
- Prokinetic agents such as domperidone and metoclopramide help by emptying your stomach before meals. Taken 30 min to an hour before each meal they reduce overflow by pushing previous contents down the intestine.
- Quitting smoking helps by reducing acid secretion and speeding up healing of scalded areas of the esophagus and stomach. Cutting out alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and citrus also reduces stomach acid speeding up healing.
- Eating smaller frequent meals with no food two hours between can be helpful.
- Raising the head of your bed by 1 inch on blocks reduces night time waking by reducing back flow heartburn - liquids flow with gravity.
- Pregnancy can lead to reversible heartburn due to the pressure of the enlarged uterus pressing against the stomach forcing acid back up the esophagus. It resolves after delivery.
- Obesity also creates a back pressure on the stomach promoting GERD.
- Severe cases of GERD are treated by surgical repair of the upper stomach valve called fundoplication.
GERD Foods to Avoid
- Spices like pepper and curry
- Fatty foods
- Tomatoes
- Citrus
- Coffee and colas
- Black tea
- Chocolates
- Chewed and smoked tobacco
- Alcohol