{"id":1513,"date":"2020-05-06T12:43:07","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T12:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blog.kayawell.com\/?p=1513"},"modified":"2025-10-07T06:15:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T06:15:22","slug":"gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd-symptoms-causes-and-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd-symptoms-causes-and-prevention","title":{"rendered":"Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) &#8211; Symptoms, Causes and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Gastroesophageal\nreflux disease (GERD) occurs when acid from the stomach sometimes flows back\ninto the channel that connects the mouth and stomach. This backwash (acid\nreflux) will irritate your esophageal lining. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people\nsometimes experience acid reflux. GERD is mild acid reflux occurring at least\ntwice a week, or a moderate to extreme reflux of acid occurring at least once a\nweek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people\ncan control GERD&#8217;s discomfort by improvements in lifestyle and over-the-counter\nmedicines. But some people with GERD can need to take stronger medications or\nsurgery to relieve symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common signs\nand symptoms of GERD include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Burning in your chest, usually after eating,\nwhich could be worse at night Chest pain<\/li><li>Difficulty swallowing<\/li><li>Regurgitation of food or sour liquid<\/li><li>Sensation of a lump in your throat<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have\nreflux nighttime acid, you might also experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Chronic cough<\/li><li>Laryngitis<\/li><li>New or worsening asthma<\/li><li>Disrupted sleep<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When to see a doctor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\nsuffer from chest pain, particularly if you also have shortness of breath, or\njaw or arm pain, seek urgent medical treatment. Signs and signs of a heart\nattack maybe these. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make an\nappointment with your doctor if you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Experience severe or frequent GERD symptoms<\/li><li>Take over-the-counter heartburn medicines\nmore than two days a week<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Causes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GERD is\ncaused by frequent acid reflux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A circular\nband of muscle around the bottom of your esophagus (lower esophageal sphincter)\nrelaxes to allowing food and liquid to flow through your stomach when you\nswallow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The stomach\nacid may flow back into your esophagus if the sphincter relaxes abnormally or\nweakens. The persistent acid backwash irritates the esophagus lining and also\ncauses it to become inflamed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Risk factors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Conditions\nthat may increase the GERD risk include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Obesity<\/li><li>Into the diaphragm (hiatal hernia) bulging of\nthe top of the stomach up <\/li><li>Pregnancy<\/li><li>Connective tissue disorders, such as\nscleroderma<\/li><li>Delayed stomach emptying<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Factors that\ncan aggravate acid reflux include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Smoking<\/li><li>Consuming big meals or consuming late at\nnight<\/li><li>Eating some foods (triggers) like fat or\nfried foods<\/li><li>Drinking some beverages, like alcohol or\ncoffee<\/li><li>Taking certain medications, such as aspirin<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Complications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time,\nthe esophagus can have chronic inflammation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Narrowing of the esophagus:<\/strong> Damage to\nthe lower esophagus caused by stomach acid cause scar tissue to form. The scar\ntissue narrows the food pathway which leads to swallowing problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>An open sore in the esophagus:<\/strong> Stomach\nacid in the esophagus may strip away tissue, causing the development of an open\nsore. An esophageal ulcer can bleed, cause pain and cause difficulty\nswallowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Home remedies for GERD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are\nsome improvements in lifestyle and home remedies that may help alleviate the\nsymptoms of GERD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example,\nit might help to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Quit smoking<\/li><li>Lose excess weight<\/li><li>Eat smaller meals<\/li><li>Chew gum after eating<\/li><li>Avoid lying down after eating<\/li><li>Avoid foods and beverages that cause your\nsymptoms<\/li><li>Avoid wearing tight clothing<\/li><li>Practice relaxation techniques<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Some herbal\nremedies might also provide relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Herbs\ncommonly used for GERD include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Chamomile<\/li><li>Licorice Root<\/li><li>Marshmallow Root<\/li><li>Slippery Elm<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Though more\nresearch is required, some people report acid reflux relief after taking\nsupplements, tinctures or teas containing certain herbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Prevention<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are 10\ntips which you should use to stop GERD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Lose weight<\/strong>. Obesity is\nthe leading cause of GERD. Extra fat in the stomach brings pressure on your\nbelly and forces up gastric juices into your esophagus. Lose weight if you&#8217;re\noverweight, and don&#8217;t gain weight if you&#8217;re not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Avoid foods known to cause reflux. If\nyou&#8217;re at risk for GERD, avoid:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Fatty foods<\/li><li>Spicy foods<\/li><li>Acidic foods, like tomatoes and citrus<\/li><li>Mint<\/li><li>Chocolate<\/li><li>Onions<\/li><li>Coffee or any caffeinated beverage<\/li><li>Carbonated beverages<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Eat smaller meals:<\/strong> Big meals\nfill the stomach and place pressure on the LES, making it more likely to cause\nreflux and GERD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Don&#8217;t lie down after eating:<\/strong> Wait a\nminimum of three hours before lying down after a meal. Gravity usually helps\navoid the production of acid reflux. You take gravity out of the equation when\nyou eat a meal and then stretch out for a nap. As a consequence, acid pushes\nagainst the LES more quickly and flows into the esophagus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Review your medications<\/strong>. There are\na variety of drugs that can increase the risk of GERD, either by calming the\nLES, interfering with the digestive process or by further irritating an already\ninflamed esophagus. These medications include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or\nNSAIDs<\/li><li>Calcium channel blockers <\/li><li>Certain asthma medications, including beta-agonists\nlike albuterol<\/li><li>Anticholinergic, medications used to treat\nconditions such as seasonal allergies and glaucoma<\/li><li>Bisphosphonates, used to boost bone density<\/li><li>Sedatives and painkillers<\/li><li>Some antibiotics<\/li><li>Potassium<\/li><li>Iron tablets<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When you are\ntaking any of these drugs, speak to your doctor about moving to another\nmedicine that does not affect the upper digestive tract the same way. Never\nstop taking a prescription drug without consulting your doctor first though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>7<strong>. Quit smoking:<\/strong> Some studies have found\nthat nicotine can relax the LES muscles, and may also interfere with the\nability of the saliva to clear acid from the esophagus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. Cut back on alcohol:<\/strong> With\nsmoking, the LES can relax by alcohol. Alcohol can also induce spasming of the\nesophageal muscles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>9. Wear loose-fitting clothes:<\/strong> Do not wear\ntight clothes or belts which can limit your stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>10. Try a gluten-free diet:<\/strong> At least\none study found that GERD symptoms can be caused or worsened, with a protein\nfound in grains such as barley, rye and wheat. Try removing gluten from your\ndiet and see if it does make a difference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when acid from the stomach sometimes flows back into the channel that connects the mouth and stomach. This backwash (acid reflux) will irritate your esophageal lining. Many people sometimes experience acid reflux. GERD is mild acid reflux occurring at least twice a week, or a moderate to extreme reflux of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3932,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcare"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1513"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1513\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kayawell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}