GERD

Have you ever had heartburn?  Do you have acid reflux after you eat?

Neither are pleasant experiences and they can worsen.  What are ways you can tell when it has turned into a condition called GERD.

GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease.  This occurs when your stomach acid repeatedly backs up into your esophagus that connects your mouth and your stomach.  

This causes acid reflux and irritates the lining of your esophagus.  Irritate your esophagus enough and it can turn into GERD.

Symptoms include a burning sensation in your chest, liquid sour or backwash in your mouth, pain in your upper belly or chest, trouble swallowing or a sensation of having a lump in your throat.

At night you may also experience an ongoing cough, laryngitis, or new or worsening asthma.

There are conditions that can increase your risk of GERD:

• Obesity
• Hiatal Hernia
• Pregnancy
• Connective tissue disorders like scleroderma
• Delay in the stomach emptying

Additionally, smoking, eating late at night, lots of fatty and fried foods, too much alcohol and coffee and aspirin.

Twenty percent of our population contracts GERD so it’s important to be aware and stay intune to your body.

Private Home Health Care knows that changes to lifestyle is one way to avoid or help with this disease.  There are also medicines available and in extreme cases surgery is an option.  There is hope.