GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE
(GERD)


GERD: A Common Problem

Repeated bouts of heartburn, sour-tasting fluid in your throat, difficulty

swallowing - all are classic symptoms of a common health problem called
gastroesophageal reflux disease ( or GERD ) also known as reflux disease.

The heartburn caused by GERD may strike after you eat a large meal or
when you bend over or lie down. GERD can sometimes be controlled with
simple lifestyle changes and medication. If your symptoms persist, surgery

may offer more lasting relief from GERD.


WHAT CAUSES GERD ?

When you have GERD, you often have a burning feeling ( heartburn)
in the middle of your chest. This is caused by acid that escapes from
your stomach through a weakened one-way valve near the top of
your stomach. The acid can travel backward as far as your throats.

Smoking, caffeine, and alcohol all increase the level of acid in your
stomach, causing even more heartburn.


HOW YOUR FOOD REACHES YOUR STOMACH

When you eat, food travels from your mouth down the esophagus to
your stomach. Along the way, food passes through a one-way valve
called the LOWER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER (LES) , the opening to
your stomach. Normally, the LES opens when you swallow. It
allows food to enter the stomach, then closes quickly. With GERD,
the LES doesn’t work right. It allows food and stomach acid to wash
back (reflux) into the esophagus.

NORMAL DIGESTION

The digestive process usually runs smoothly, as swallowed food
travels through the esophagus to the stomach. In the stomach,
acids and enzymes continue the process of breaking down the food
before it moves into the intestines.





DIGESTION WITH GERD

With GERD, the LES does not work well enough to hold food and fluids in
the stomach. Escaping stomach acids irritates the esophagus. Sometimes,
the top of the stomach slips through an enlarged hiatus (hiatal hernia)
This can make GERD worse.


HOW GERD MAY PROGRESS

Exposing sensitive tissue in the esophagus to stomach acid over a long
period of time can lead to inflammation, ulcers and scarring ( called a
stricture ) People with severe GERD may have difficulty swallowing (
called dysphagia) and often have the sensation that food is stuck in their

throats.


INFLAMMATION

Swelling and inflammation in the esophagus ( called esophagitis) can
lead to pain, pressure, and burning in your chest and throat.


ULCER

A sore anywhere in the lining of the esophagus ( called an ulcer ) can
produce pain and bleeding, and can make it hard to swallow.


STRICTURE

Scarring may develop along the esophagus. This narrows the tube,
making it harder and harder to swallow some foods.


MORE ON GERD NEXT TIME !

I HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY !

AVOID REFLUX........SLEEP TIGHT !


MARIA
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GLOBALHEALTH2000
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