Sometimes you might feel a burning sensation in your chest (heartburn).
This can happen after eating a big meal or spicy foods or drinking coffee or alcohol. It may usually subside on its own and it’s not usually a cause for concern.
But if you have frequent heartburn, two or more times a week with other symptoms like bringing up of food or sour liquid, difficulty swallowing, coughing, wheezing, and chest pain — especially while lying down at night, then it is called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is caused due to back up of acidic food content from the stomach into the esophagus.
The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the mouth and stomach. There are rings of muscle which are known as sphincters, at the upper as well as lower portions of the esophagus that contract and relax to allow food and liquid to pass to stomach but will not allow coming in reverse from the stomach to esophagus.
GERD affects people of all ages—from infants to older adults and very common in elderly persons, people with diabetes.
The risk for GERD is more in people with asthma. Asthma outbursts can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, allowing stomach contents to flow back, or reflux, into the esophagus. in the case of asthma drugs (Ex.theophylline) may worsen reflux symptoms.
Acid reflux also can make asthma symptoms worse by irritating the airway pathways and lungs. This, in turn, can result to progressively more serious asthma. This airway irritation may trigger allergic reactions and make the airways more sensitive to environmental conditions such as smoke or cold air.
Gastroesophageal reflux is experienced by almost everyone, at one point in time or in life. It happens when you have a burp, or have an acid taste in your mouth or have a burning sensation in the chest. However, if these symptoms interfere with your daily life it is time to see your doctor.
You could have below-mentioned symptoms, though less frequent that could indicate that you may have GERD:
- Acid reflux(regurgitation)
- Difficulty or pain during swallowing
- Secretion of an excess of saliva
- Incidence of sore throat
- Laryngitis or hoarseness in the voice
- Inflammation of the gums
- Cavities
- Bad breath
- Chest pain (seek immediate medical help)
The different tests that are used to diagnose and confirm GERD are:
- X-ray of the upper digestive system
- Endoscopy (examines the inside of the esophagus)
- Monitoring the amount of acid in the esophagus with ambulatory acid (pH) test
- Esophageal impedance test (measures the movement of substances in the esophagus)
Treatment
In most of the cases, GERD can be relieved through diet and lifestyle changes; however, some people may require medication or rarely surgery.
If you have both GERD and asthma, managing your GERD will help control your asthma symptoms.
Many studies have shown that patients with asthma and GERD saw a decrease in asthma symptoms (and asthma drugs use) after treating their reflux disorder.
Lifestyle changes to treat GERD include:
- Elevate the head of the bed 6-8 inches
- Lose weight
- Quit smoking
- Cut down alcohol intake
- Have smaller meals at a time and avoid heavy dinner
- You should not lie down within 2-3 hours of eating
- Reduce caffeine intake
- Avoid medications such as theophylline as much as possible
Your doctor may prescribe drugs like:
- Esomeprazole alone or Esomeprazole with Domperidone based on the severity of nausea and vomiting