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Gastroesophageal reflux disease and heartburn

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of GERD.


Alternative Names

Heartburn; GERD


Prevention

People with heartburn should first try lifestyle and dietary changes. In one study, 44% of patients who experienced symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) reported improvement after changing their diet. Some suggestions are the following:

Patients who have trouble swallowing should avoid tough meats, vegetables with skins, doughy bread, and pasta.

Prevention of Nighttime GERD

Nearly three-quarters of patients with frequent GERD symptoms have them at night. Patients with nighttime GERD also tend to experience severe pain. It is very important to take preventative measures before going to sleep. Some suggestions for preventing acid reflux at night are as follows:

Reflux board
A reflux board is prescribed for use in children who have gastroesophageal reflux. A board tilts the child upward while he is lying in bed to prevent the stomach contents from going back into the esophagus and mouth, and possibly into the lungs.

Other Preventive Measures

Although gum chewing is commonly believed to increase the risk for GERD symptoms, one study reported it might be helpful. Because saliva helps neutralize acid and contains a number of other factors that protect the esophagus, chewing gum 30 minutes after a meal has been found to help relieve heartburn and even protect against damage caused by GERD. Chewing on anything at all can help since it stimulates saliva production.


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