Most people know it as heart burn.
Heart burn has become so usual that people no longer think of it as something really serious; but that is where they got it wrong.
Heart burn or in strict medical terms, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or acid reflux in short may not cause you immediate harm but when allowed to rein free, it can cause permanent damage to your body, particularly to the esophagus.
The problem is caused by the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to close off and prevent the food in the stomach from coming up.
It happens due to either of these reasons: contents of the stomach is too acidic and is too much for the normal defenses of the esophagus or that the food is not cleared in the esophagus fast enough to prevent a burning sensation that is termed "heart burn.
" Heartburn is actually considered pretty normal unless it occurs for more than twice a week.
In addition to heartburn, other symptoms of GERD are pains in the chest, problems swallowing food, as if there is something stuck in the throat, dry cough and bad breath.
GERD is diagnosed with upper endoscopy where in doctors will examine the esophagus, stomach and duodenum with an endoscope.
The instrument enables the doctors to see the walls and tissues of the digestive tract.
Another test conducted is the 24-hour Esophageal PH Monitor Examination, which tests the amount of acid in the esophagus.
Barium X-rays are also used to diagnose changes and abnormalities in the upper digestive tracts.
Treating GERD is actually quite difficult as it involves a lot of changes especially in the lifestyle of the person.
One will have to forego with most of what one eats and also give up many vices.
Here are some ways to treat GERD and also to prevent it from ever coming back.
Change in food lifestyle People diagnosed with GERD are asked to avoid foods that produce reflux problems in order to prevent problems in the esophagus.
Examples of these foods are fried foods and fatty foods, eating citrus fruits and drinking its juices, tomato products, chocolate, caffeine, pepper and peppermint.
No smoking GERD patients are also asked to give up smoking as smoke can inhibit the production of saliva, which neutralizes refluxed acid and protects the esophagus.
Smoking also produces acid in the stomach, which can trigger an episode.
Alcohol-free Alcohol can also increase the production of acids in the stomachs.
This is why drinking alcoholic drinks is also a no-no in patients with GERD.
In addition to producing acids, alcohol also relaxes the muscles of LES, so much so that food in the stomach are freely allowed to reflux back to the esophagus.
Lose weight People who eat more than they should often have full stomachs.
Because of this, foods that can no longer be accommodated in the stomach tend to go up then esophagus, irritating it in the process.
Digest food Make sure that you are digesting properly whatever food that comes into the stomach.
This can be done by eating small meals and not eating too much.
You should also be drinking more water to neutralize acid and to eat slow so that food will already be digested by the time it reaches the esophagus.