Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD or GERD) is the chronic (long-term) form of acid reflux and is a more serious condition. GORD is diagnosed when acid reflux happens more than twice a week or causes inflammation in the oesophagus (oesophagitis).
Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) is a normal physiological process that usually happens after eating in healthy infants, children, young people and adults. In contrast, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) occurs when the effect of GOR leads to symptoms severe enough to merit medical treatment.
Alarm symptoms include dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and odynophagia (painful swallowing), which may represent presence of complications such as strictures, ulceration, and/or malignancy. Other alarm signs and symptoms include, but are not limited to, anemia, bleeding, and weight loss.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more serious form of acid reflux. In GERD, the backflow of stomach acid occurs chronically and causes damage to the body over time. Specifically, stomach acid irritates the lining of the esophagus, which can lead to serious complications.
smoking, alcohol, coffee or chocolate – these may relax the muscles at the bottom of the oesophagus. pregnancy – temporary changes in hormone levels and increased pressure on your stomach during pregnancy can cause GORD.
Stage 1 (mild): A person has infrequent heartburn and regurgitation happening once or less each week. Stage 2 (moderate): A person has regurgitation or heartburn occurring a few times a week. Stage 3 (severe): A person has regular heartburn, a chronic cough, regurgitation, a hoarse voice, and regurgitation of food.
Chest Pain That Lasts
Described as a squeezing pressure behind the breast bone, GERD-related chest pain can last for hours. And like a heart attack, it can also radiate down your arm to your back.
Severe GORD can be treated via fundoplication, where the stomach is wrapped around the oesophagus to strengthen the lower oesophageal sphincter. The majority of patients with Barrett's oesophagus are treated with PPIs to control the symptoms of GORD.
As chronic GERD continues untreated, the stomach acid can scar the lining of the esophagus. As the scar tissue increases, it makes the esophagus more narrow in certain spots. It becomes difficult to eat and drink and may lead to dehydration and weight loss. Ask Digestive Health Services about an available treatment.
Doctors usually treat it with medicine. GERD can be a problem if it's not treated because, over time, the reflux of stomach acid damages the tissue lining the esophagus, causing inflammation and pain. In adults, long-lasting, untreated GERD can lead to permanent damage of the esophagus.
To confirm a diagnosis of GORD, the procedure required is called Gastroscopy, where an endoscope will be gently inserted into your mouth and down your throat.
Common signs and symptoms of GERD include: A burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), usually after eating, which might be worse at night or while lying down. Backwash (regurgitation) of food or sour liquid. Upper abdominal or chest pain.
Some people have GERD without heartburn. Instead, they experience pain in the chest, hoarseness in the morning or trouble swallowing. You may feel like you have food stuck in your throat, or like you are choking or your throat is tight. GERD can also cause a dry cough and bad breath.
“Because the heart is also located in the chest, where GERD occurs, sometimes GERD symptoms are commonly mistaken for cardiac symptoms. Similarly, sometimes cardiac pain—like a heart attack—can be mistaken for GERD,” says Toyia James-Stevenson, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Indiana University Health.
Proton pump inhibitors
These are pantoprazole, dexlansoprazole, and rabeprazole. PPIs work by preventing the parietal cells in the stomach from secreting as much gastric acid. PPIs are popular medications. In fact, one of them, omeprazole, is one of the top 10 most common prescription medications in the United States.
Dexlansoprazole MR (30 mg daily for 4 weeks) provides significantly better symptom control as compared with placebo. Furthermore, the drug is more efficacious than placebo in relieving nocturnal heartburn and reducing GERD-related sleep disturbances when given in a dose of 30 mg daily for a period of 4 weeks.
Nausea or vomiting
Nausea and vomiting may be signs of GERD, hiatal hernia, or esophagitis. Regurgitation of the stomach's contents may occur as a complication of any of these conditions. This regurgitation often results in a “sour taste” that causes some patients to feel nauseated or lose their appetite.
Is Yogurt Good for GERD? Yogurt that is low in fat is generally safe to eat for those who have GERD. You should avoid eating yogurt that contains whole fat rather than low amounts of fat. Whole fat yogurt can be harder for you to digest and might trigger GERD symptoms.
Bananas for stomach acid are considered safe because they have alkaline (alkaline) properties. In addition, this fruit is also considered to help balance the acid in the stomach so that symptoms of acid reflux or GERD can be prevented.
Water. In general, drinking water can help balance the pH of a particularly acidic meal, which may help to lower the risk of acid reflux. Studies show that drinking mineral water with a high hydrogen carbonate content can help to alleviate the frequency and severity of acid reflux.