Ladies, do you have GERD? GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is a disease caused by too frequent acid reflux. Acid reflux happens when stomach contents back up into the esophageal. Usually, a person is said to have GERD when experiencing acid reflux more than twice a week.
Causes of GERD
Although there is no single cause of GERD, if the following body mechanisms do not function properly, the chances of developing GERD will increase. We have a circular band of muscle at the end of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter. If the muscle bands are working properly, they will be in a relaxed state and open during swallowing, then tighten and close again afterward.
Well, acid reflux occurs when this lower esophageal sphincter doesn't tighten or close properly, allowing digestive juices and other contents from the stomach to rise up into the esophagus. Other possible causes include:
- Hiatus hernia
A hernia is the part of the stomach that moves above the diaphragm towards the chest area. If the diaphragm is disturbed, then the muscle bands will be disturbed too.
- Often eat in large portions
This can cause not enough pressure on the upper part of the abdomen, so the muscle bands don't close properly.
- Lying down too soon after a large meal
It also creates less pressure than the muscle bands need to function properly.
Risk factors of GERD
While there is no single definite cause of GERD, certain lifestyle and health factors can increase your chances of developing GERD, such as:
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Connective tissue disorders
- Smoking
- Frequently eating in big portions
- Immediately lie down/sleep after eating
- Eating too much of certain types of food, such as fried foods or tomato products
- Drinking too much of certain types of drinks, such as soda, coffee, or alcohol
- Using many nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen
Diagnosing GERD
If the doctor suspects that someone has GERD, the doctor will perform a physical examination and ask about any symptoms they are experiencing. If needed, the doctor may recommend the patient to a gastroenterologist or may perform certain tests on his own, including:
- Ambulatory pH probe 24 hours
The 24-hour ambulatory pH probe is a 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring technique that is performed by sending a small tube through the nose into the esophagus. The pH sensor at the end of the tube will measure how much acid exposure the esophagus is getting, and send that data to a portable computer. Patients suspected of having GERD will wear this tube for about 24 hours. This method is generally considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing GERD.
- Esophageal
Patients suspected of having GERD will be asked to drink a barium solution. Next, an esophagogram is performed using X-ray imaging to examine the upper digestive tract.
- Upper endoscopy
Upper endoscopy is performed by inserting a flexible tube with a tiny camera down the esophagus to examine and collect a tissue sample (biopsy) if needed.
- Esophageal manometry
Esophageal manometry is performed by passing a flexible tube through the nose into the esophagus to measure the strength of the esophageal muscles.
- Esophageal pH monitoring
Esophageal pH monitoring involves inserting a monitor into the esophagus to study how acid is regulated in the body over several days.
After diagnosing, the doctor will decide what intervention is most suitable for you.
Surgery for GERD
In most cases, lifestyle changes and medications are enough to prevent and relieve GERD symptoms. But sometimes, surgery may be needed. This usually occurs when lifestyle changes and medications alone are not able to stop GERD symptoms or GERD complications occur.
There are several types of surgery available to treat GERD, including fundoplication in which the upper part of the stomach is sutured around the esophagus, and bariatric surgery which is usually recommended when GERD is exacerbated by being overweight.
Ladies, if you often have acid reflux, you are not alone. However, if you have it more than twice a week and your small lifestyle changes didn’t improve anything, you may have GERD.
When already suffering from GERD, consult a doctor, it will be more helpful to make an appropriate treatment plan. You can try to do a consultation on the Newfemme application, besides reading various other interesting articles!
Source :
DiGiacinto, J. & Soliman, Y. (2021). Everything You Need to Know About Acid Reflux and GERD. Healthline. [online]. https://www.healthline.com/health/gerd