Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a condition affecting the esophagus or food
pipe, a tube that stretches from the throat to the stomach. When you have
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, the lining of your esophagus becomes inflamed
and irritated because of acid backing up from the stomach.
This condition is quite common among
adults and is non-life threatening and its symptoms include hoarseness
in the throat along with coughing, sensation of burning pain in the
chest, earache, sinusitis and nausea.
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Diagram from
cancer.gov
1. Body of stomach
2. Fundus
3. Anterior wall
4. Greater curvature
5. Lesser curvature
6.
Cardia
9. Pyloric sphincter
10. Pyloric antrum
11. Pyloric canal
12. Angular notch
13. Gastric Canal
14. Rugal folds |
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Some individuals with severe GERD
symptoms may report iron deficiency anemia, swallowing difficulty or
pain with swallowing, gastro-intestinal bleeding, early satiety,
vomiting, choking, unexplained weight loss, and chest pain.
Although, the above are signs of
GERD,
one or two of them together does not necessarily mean that you have the
disease. There are other illnesses and diseases that have these symptoms
as well.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
complications include, stricture formation, esophageal spasms,
esophageal ulcers, Barrett's esophagus, which is characterized by
changes in the cells lining the esophagus, that can lead to esophageal
cancer.
A comprehensive medical examination
and a look at the medical history of the patient are required to help
determine and identify severe Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is
caused by the weakness of the
cardia or
stomach-esophagus junction.
In healthy individuals, these valves prevent
stomach acid, enzymes and bile, from traveling back into the esophagus
where they can cause burning and irritation of sensitive tissue lining
the esophagus.
Another puzzling cause of
Gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms is not having enough
stomach acid.
Acidity stimulates the valve to empty the stomach
into the intestines. If there is acid insufficiency, the valve does not
open, and the stomach contents back up into the esophagus. Yet, there is
still enough acidity to irritate the esophagus tissue.
This condition has also been linked to obesity as well as hypercalcemia
where there is an increase of gastrin production, hiatal hernia,
medication use such as prednisolone, and the intermittent relaxation of
the lower esophageal sphincter.
There
are several treatments for Gastroesophageal reflux disease and these are
classified as non-drug treatments, drug treatments and surgery.
As their names suggest,
the non-drug treatments do not encompass using chemical based drugs and
other medicines that are based in science. The treatment can be as
simple as elevating the head during sleep or adjusting one’s posture.
Drug treatments for Gastroesophageal
reflux disease are readily available but you would need to see your
medical practitioner for prescription.
Surgery as a treatment for
gastroesophageal reflux disease is only for cases where the other
treatments do not work or as a replacement of long-term drug use. Since
this disorder is not a life threatening condition, surgery is not a
rushed decision.
