Thousands of former sufferers have cured their heartburn WITHOUT drugs, pills or prescriptions already, and you can too! In 97% of cases, heartburn problems really can be corrected, without drugs, exercise or some crazy diet for the rest of your life. And the solution is fast and simple! Click Here!

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Information
by: D Ruplinger

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD, is the medical term for what most
people refer to as acid reflux disease.

Gastroesophageal is a relatively new term for acid reflux disease. It has
been used for approximately the past 20 years. Before that it was just referred
to as heartburn. But heartburn is just one of the symptoms of GERD. Some of the
other symptoms of GERD are regurgitation, hoarseness or laryngitis, the feeling
of a lump in the throat, coughing, bad breath, asthma, difficulty swallowing,
and water brash. Some people with GERD do not have any symptoms at all.

What happens to cause GERD? It starts with acid in the stomach washing back
up into the esophagus repeatedly, which happens if the lower esophageal
sphincter becomes relaxed.

Some foods and beverages can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax.
This is not an all-inclusive list but some of the most common are: chocolate,
licorice, peppermint, fatty foods, caffeinated beverages, and alcohol.
Barbiturates, calcium-channel blockers, Diazepam and Sumitriptan are some of the
medications that cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax and allow acid
back in to the esophagus.

Lifestyle changes can be very effective in helping to control GERD although
over- the-counter medications, prescription medications, and possibly surgery,
may also be necessary. Some of the lifestyle changes that may help control GERD
include: losing weight if you are overweight, avoiding high-fat foods, not lying
down right after eating, not eating large heavy meals (i.e. don’t overstuff
yourself—especially on fatty foods), and stopping smoking if you are a smoker.

GERD can be a difficult disease to diagnosis. That is because of the wide
range of symptoms people can experience and the complication of some people not
experiencing any symptoms at all. It is easier to diagnosis if a person is
experiencing the classic symptoms of GERD which are heartburn and regurgitation.
In some cases a physician will not do tests right away but will first prescribe
over-the-counter or prescription medications to see if they clear up the
symptoms.

If the medications do not take care of the symptoms then a physician will
likely do one or more of the following diagnostic tests: x-rays with a barium
swallow, an upper gastrointestinal x-ray series, an upper endoscopy, an
esophageal manometry, or a 24-hour pH probe. The reason physicians may try
over-the-counter or prescription medications before running tests is because
some of the tests, such as the upper endoscopy and pH probe are invasive, and
because of the costs of some of the tests.

After diagnosing GERD, a physician will recommend lifestyle changes such as
the ones mentioned earlier in this article to help control the GERD, and
depending on the severity will recommend over-the-counter medications or will
prescribe a stronger medication by prescription. The medications may need to be
continued indefinitely because over half of all people who stop taking their
medications after getting their symptoms under control have a recurrence within
a year.

If the medications do not alleviate the symptoms, surgery may be needed.
Surgery is also an alternative to having to take medications indefinitely. A
procedure called a “Nissen fundoplication” is the type of surgery typically done
to relieve GERD. In the surgery the upper part of the stomach located near the
esophagus, called the “fundus,” is wrapped around the lower esophagus. Doing
this strengthens the barrier function of the lower esophagus, thus preventing
gastreosophageal reflux and repairing the main irregularity that occurs in
people suffering from GERD. The surgery is usually done laparoscopically. It is
considered a safe surgery (but remember any surgery carries risks) that
typically gives good results.

Thousands of former sufferers have cured their heartburn WITHOUT drugs, pills or prescriptions already, and you can too! In 97% of cases, heartburn problems really can be corrected, without drugs, exercise or some crazy diet for the rest of your life. And the solution is fast and simple! Click Here!

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