Dec. 7, 2023 | Maybe you overindulged at that Christmas get-together the other night. That burning sensation you’re feeling in your chest or throat may just be heartburn, which happens when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Or it could be something much more serious. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, happens when a muscle at the end of your esophagus does not close properly. This allows stomach contents to leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus and irritate it. Many people experience acid reflux from time to time. However, when acid reflux happens repeatedly over time, it can cause GERD. Anyone, including infants and children, can have GERD. If not treated, it can lead to more serious health problems. Most people are able to manage the discomfort of GERD with lifestyle changes and medications. And though it’s uncommon, some may need surgery to ease the symptoms.

Dec. 7, 2023 | An estimated 20 percent of people in the United States have gastroesophageal reflux disease, better known as GERD. Anyone can develop the disease but people who are overweight, that take certain medications or smoke or are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke are at increased risk for it. Nine out of 10 pregnant patients develop symptoms of GERD by their third trimester. Heartburn is usually the main problem. But for some patients, GERD during pregnancy can be so intense that it causes nausea and vomiting. Some of the most common symptoms of the disorder are a burning sensation in your chest, usually after eating, and a regurgitation of food or sour liquid. A person with GERD may have trouble swallowing or a sensation of a lump in their throat. Symptoms like an ongoing cough, an inflammation of the vocal cords, also known as laryngitis, and new or worsening asthma are likely to occur at night.

Dec. 7, 2023 | GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is caused by frequent acid reflux or reflux of nonacidic content from the stomach. When you swallow, a circular band of muscle around the bottom of your esophagus known as the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow into your stomach. Then the sphincter closes again. If the sphincter does not relax as it should or it weakens, stomach acid can flow back into your esophagus. This constant backwash of acid irritates the lining of your esophagus, often causing it to become inflamed. Some medicines, such as calcium channel blockers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammation drugs, can cause GERD or make its symptoms worse. A hiatal hernia can also increase the chance of getting GERD or make its symptoms worse. A hiatal hernia is a condition in which the opening in your diaphragm lets the upper part of the stomach move up into your chest.

Dec. 7, 2023 | One or more tests will likely be ordered by a doctor trying to accurately diagnose GERD and to determine if the patient has any other health problems. An upper GI endoscopy involves the use of an endoscope, a flexible tube with a camera, to see the lining of the patient’s upper GI tract, including the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. During the procedure, a doctor may obtain biopsies by passing an instrument through the endoscope to take small pieces of tissue from the lining of the patient’s esophagus. A pathologist will examine the tissue under a microscope. Doctors may order an endoscopy to check for complications of GERD or other things that may be causing the symptoms. Esophageal pH monitoring, which involves either a catheter or a wireless capsule inserted into the esophagus, relies on a monitor to that receives information from the catheter or the capsule and tracks information about the patient’s diet, sleep and symptoms.

Dec. 7, 2023 | If you’ve been diagnosed with GERD, your doctor may recommend certain lifestyle changes or medications to manage your symptoms. You’ll likely be asked to lose weight if you are obese and to quite smoking if you smoke. You’ll also receive recommendations for changes in your eating habits and diet. Your doctor may recommend antacids to relieve mild heartburn and other mild GERD symptoms. Antacids can help relieve mild symptoms but you shouldn’t use them every day or for severe symptoms, except after discussing your antacid use with your doctor. Histamine blockers, like Tagamet HB or Pepcid AC, meanwhile, can lower the amount of acid your stomach makes. Proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, are stronger acid blockers than histamine blockers and allow time for damaged esophageal tissue to heal. You can buy PPIs like Prilosec OTC or Nexium 24 Hour over the counter, or your doctor can prescribe one.