Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Are You Suffering from It?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is terrible. I have it. You haven't lived until you fall into a nice sleep only to be awakened about 30 minutes later by throwing up burning acid. Then you cough and you cough and you cough some more.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease or (GERD) as it is referred to, is a condition actually that has to do with the esophagus.

The esophagus is the tube that food travels down from your mouth to your stomach.

Typically when the food goes down the esophagus it enters the stomach and then has the courtesy to close the door behind it. Unfortunately those folks that have gastroesophageal reflux disease have a malfunction with the "door."

Actually this door is a muscle called a sphincter muscle that locks the food into the stomach.

How do you know if you have GERD?

You might have on a regular basis, heartburn or burning in the chest, bitter taste in the back of the mouth, belching and chronic coughing. Further the symptoms might get worse.

You can help yourself in many cases simply by elevating your head while sleeping.

Watch what you eat such as spicy food and fatty food. You can also buy over-the-counter antacid tablets and they are usually very effective.

As a last resort you can have different surgeries. One is simply to repair a damaged or ineffective sphincter muscle and once again close the door on food.

Good esophageal hygiene should be practiced when you are young. Often the problems with the esophagus start with inflammation. Then they graduate to an ulcer and finally they create a stricture.

Surgeries, while not typically serious can be annoying and lay you up for a time.

One important side note is that if the pain is persistent you should have a sonogram to rule out a gallbladder problem. If you have gallstones you are in an entire different league as far as problems.

As I said I have had esophageal reflux disease. Mine is due to a hiatal hernia. That means there is a small tear in the abdominal wall that compromises the digestive function. It is not surprising since I also had an inguinal hernia that is also due to a weakness in the abdominal wall.

The doctor did not recommend that I have surgery essentially saying that mine was mild enough to live with.

What I have done that has helped the most is to not eat within three hours of bedtime.

Usually gastroesophageal is not serious. It is simply annoying. However left untreated or ignored it can cause more serious problems. Further, infrequently it can be a symptom of something dangerous.

The key is if the symptoms are persistent or extremely intense. If they are, call a doctor.

References:

"Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease," Booklet, Krames Publications

Personal Experience