Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), the medical term for Acid Reflux is defined as the product of abnormal reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus thus, creating mucosal damage, likewise known as the chronic symptom.
This disease strikes adults primarily, while infants and children can also be affected. Normally spurred by eating certain foods, if not pregnancy, or taking a sleep right after eating a heavy meal, many persons suffer from acid reflux at one time or another.
Heartburn or acid indigestion is another name that refers to acid reflux. Heartburn, the major symptom of Acid Reflux in the esophagus, is described to cause a burning uneasiness at the back of the sternum.
The symptoms may come as coughing, voice transformation, hoarseness, constant ear ache, or sinusitis. The complications brought upon by acid reflux may lead to esophageal ulcers or worse this can lead to esophageal cancer.
However, constant heartburn sensations do not necessarily mean that one has captured GERD already. The risk occurs when heartburn happened more than once a week, this occasion could possibly lead to developing GERD.
The usual cause of GERD is the increase in acidity or gastric acid production in the body, obesity, pregnancy, or tight-fitting apparel, these all can add to the problem. Yeast infections are also thought to be one of the causes of Gerd-like symptoms.
An added ironical cause of GERD is the insufficient production of stomach acid in the body. The explanation says that the valve, the hollow organ with a flap that insure the one-way course of fluid through the organ, once emptied triggers acidity in the intestines. If the valve fails to open, the contents of the stomach will be blended into the esophagus, and then irritation occurs.
Meanwhile, there are already several treatments for GERD today, one of which is balanced and healthy eating habits. Now if a proper diet fails to work, one can shift to medication therapy or surgery as suggested by the doctors. Below are the lists of several selections of Acid Reflux treatment:
Another easy way to treat GERD is to elevate the head of the bed. The pharmacologic therapy, the combination of prevention of food two hours before sleeping, and the rise of the head of the bed, there is a great chance for a patient to gain a 95 percent relief. The rise of the head of the bed is suggested to the range of only 6 to 8 inches or 20 cm. Using this method the backflow of gastric fluids will be hampered.
Drug Treatment: Drugs reduce the secretion of gastric acid, for instance, and famotidine and omeprazole lessen the secretion of gastric acid and the Antacids counteract the acid.
Surgical treatment: the Nissen fundoplication, the standard surgical treatment for Acid Reflux, the medication process will only cover a short period of time. The function of this is to support the sphincter, a spherical bond of muscles that opens and closes to let the food or waste pass, as well as stop Acid Reflux, and of course, restore the hiatal hernia.
