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It is the return of the contents of the stomach to the esophagus with a feeling of discomfort and acidity, and this is also called gastroesophageal reflux disease.

All you need to know about gastroesophageal reflux disease (gerd)

You may have gastroesophageal reflux disease if you have GERD symptoms twice a week.

This problem must be taken care of from the beginning, as neglecting it leads to serious problems.

Severe GERD symptoms

Acid reflux is the exit of stomach acid into the esophagus, and this causes a feeling of annoying acidity in the chest, with acidity in the back of the mouth, which works to leave some food and drink from the stomach into the mouth, and this is the most important symptom of bitter reflux.

Other symptoms of GERD include:

• Severe chest pain.
• pain when swallowing;
• Strong and persistent cough.
• hoarse voice.
• nausea.
• Bad breath.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Feeling tired and exhausted when eating.

Causes of GERD

There are many causes of GERD, it may be due to the esophageal sphincter, which opens when food and drink enters and tightens and closes after swallowing.

But when a problem occurs, the muscle may not close properly, allowing acid and other contents to escape from the stomach.

Other causes of GERD:

1. Eating a lot of food in large and huge quantities, and this works to swell the upper part of the stomach, which puts pressure on the sphincter muscle, so it does not close properly.
2. Lying down or sleeping immediately after eating, and this also puts pressure on the sphincter muscle, not allowing it to close completely.
3. Hiatal hernia: This occurs as a result of part of the stomach protruding above the diaphragm and pressing on the chest.

Factors that increase the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease

• pregnancy.
• obesity.
• Eat big meals.
• smoking.
• Drinking certain types of drinks such as soda and coffee.
• Lie down immediately after eating or after a short period of time.
• Focus on specific foods such as fried and tomato products.
• People with a connective tissue disorder.
• Take some medications frequently, such as aspirin and ibuprofen.

Foods and drinks that cause gastroesophageal reflux disease

If you suffer from GERD and eat some food and drink, you will feel unpleasant symptoms Some of them exacerbate symptoms and cause pain, so it is advised to stay away from eating them. These foods include:

• Tomatoes and tomato sauce.
• High-fat foods such as fried and fast.
• Citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons.
• onions.
• juices.
• coffee.
• Soft drinks.

GERD Diagnosis

First, the doctor will do a physical examination and ask about symptoms After that, you may be asked to perform these tests to detect the degree of the problem and determine the appropriate treatment. These tests are as follows:

1. Isogram: An X-ray where a barium solution is taken to examine the upper digestive tract.
2. Upper endoscopy: A long tube is inserted into the tip of a small camera to examine the esophagus. The doctor may take a piece of tissue for examination.
3. Esophageal pH monitoring: This is by inserting a tube into the esophagus to measure how much acid is set in the body for several days.
4. Esophageal manometry: This is done by passing a tube from the nose into the esophagus to measure muscle strength.
5. Portable pH probe: It is a tube inserted from the nose into the esophagus, This device captures how much acid your esophagus has been exposed to and sends the data to a computer. This tube stays on for 24 hours, so it's the ideal test for GERD.

GERD of treatment

Treatment includes several methods and techniques that you should follow to treat pain and discomfort, which we will mention later.

With regard to medicines, the doctor will write to you several disputes, which are:

• antacid

This is used for mild symptoms, you can drink it when you feel the signs of reflux, but if you notice that you have to take it daily, then you will need a stronger medicine.

• receptor blockers

This drug works to reduce the acid produced by the stomach. It has several names. It is preferable to consult a doctor before taking it.

• proton inhibitor pump

If you suffer from GERD for a long time, you need to take this medication, because it works to treat the damaged lining of the esophagus, and it also reduces the amount of acid secreted by the stomach, so this type is better and stronger in treatment.

(But in some cases where medications and lifestyle changes haven't helped treat bothersome symptoms, you'll need surgery to connect the upper stomach with the esophagus, among other options, depending on the situation.)

Gaviscon for gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gaviscon is famous for treating stomach ailments such as heartburn and acidity, in addition to the symptoms of GERD, as an effective and fast remedy,

GERD treatment at home

• Maintain a healthy and moderate weight.
• Avoid heavy and fatty meals, especially in the evening.
• Do not lie down immediately after eating, wait at least an hour.
• Sleeping on the left side greatly reduces reflux.
• Stop smoking, it makes the situation worse.
• Avoid the foods we mentioned earlier that increase reflux.
• Ginger can be drunk, as one of its benefits is that it relieves stomach acidity and heartburn, in addition to nausea.
• It is good to drink (low-fat) milk, as it helps treat heartburn.

Effective herbs that help treat gastroesophageal reflux disease

gastroesophageal reflux disease complications

Usually, gastroesophageal reflux disease does not lead to serious problems, but in rare or rare cases, serious complications may occur that require urgent medical care.

Therefore, it is important to monitor and treat reflux symptoms from the beginning. These complications are:

• Erosion of tooth enamel, inflammation of the teeth and other problems in the mouth, due to the frequent exit of acids from the stomach.
• esophagitis.
• Esophageal stricture and contracture.
• Barrett's esophagus is a permanent change in the lining of the esophagus.
• Esophageal cancer. This affects a small number of people with Barrett's esophagus.

gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

With pregnancy, hormonal changes occur that affect the pregnant body in general, including heartburn.

This is because the muscles of the esophagus are stretched several times, and the problem increases the pressure of the fetus on the stomach in the last months of pregnancy.

Medicines available in pharmacies help to treat GERD, as they are generally considered safe, although it is preferable to consult a doctor to prescribe a safer treatment.

The problem is exacerbated if the woman suffers from GERD before pregnancy. In this case, she should follow up with the doctor to control the problem as much as possible.

gastroesophageal reflux disease in infants

It is normal for a baby to pass some milk after feeding or sometimes vomit But if the food comes out a lot and after each feeding, then the problem must be taken care of and a visit to the doctor to check on it He suffers from gastroesophageal reflux disease, which shows other symptoms in addition to vomiting.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms in children

• Irritability during or after breastfeeding.
• Refusal of food
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Weight loss and slow growth.
• Arched back during feeding.
• Wet burping.
• Frequent cough and pneumonia.
• difficulty sleeping
• Constant vomiting.
• Choking.

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