Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or GORD is usually used as a broad term to refer to a number of digestive disorders of the oesophagus (the food pipe or tube that carries food from your throat to your stomach).
However, it is more useful to consider GORD as two discrete types that have different causes and require different approaches in treatment:
- GORD is classic severe acid reflux with erosive oesophagitis and its complications. This is also known as erosive gastrooesophageal reflux disease or erosive GORD.
- Erosive GORD occurs when stomach acid moves in the wrong direction, flowing back up (reflux) into your oesophagus, causing discomfort. Over time, reflux of acid may erode (burn away) the lining of the oesophagus, leading to more serious conditions involving inflammation and ulcers.
- Symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease refers to a presence of typical symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease but without erosions. This condition is also known as non-erosive reflux disease or NERD.
- Patients with symptomatic GORD generally do not develop local mucosal complications or complications to the lining of the oesophagus.
What causes acid reflux?
Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid flows back up into the oesophagus. This may be because the valve that connects the oesophagus and the stomach is weakened. This muscular valve is called the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS). Normally, the LOS opens when food or saliva is passed into the stomach and tightens when food is not passing into the stomach.
A weakened LOS does not tighten all the way or opens too easily. Stomach acid can escape from the stomach move back up into the oesophagus, causing a great deal of pain. This painful burning sensation is known as heartburn.
What are possible symptoms of GORD?
Heartburn is the most frequent symptom of GORD. Heartburn typically feels like a burning pain or discomfort behind your chest that moves upward to your throat. You may also have regurgitation (a bitter or sour taste of acid in the back of your throat), as well as other symptoms, such as burping and bloating.
Can GORD be treated?
Making changes to your diet and lifestyle may control infrequent heartburn symptoms. There are some foods and drinks that increase heartburn. Although it may be hard to give them up entirely, it is best to avoid chocolate, peppermint, fatty foods, coffee and alcoholic beverages.
Other foods such as citrus fruits and juices, tomato products and spicy foods, can irritate an injured lining of the oesophagus and should also be avoided.
In addition to making changes to your diet, there are also changes you can make to your lifestyle that may reduce the occurrence of heartburn:
- Reduce the size of your portions at mealtime;
- Avoid eating within two to three hours before bedtime;
- Lose excess weight;
- Stop cigarette smoking;
- Raise the head of your bed frame at least six inches to keep acid from remaining in the oesophagus overnight.
Unfortunately, not everyone will achieve relief from heartburn symptoms with changes to their diet and lifestyle alone. Medications that can be used for the treatment of heartburn include antacids, histamine H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors. Some medications for heartburn are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
Make sure you consult your doctor when you experience long-term symptoms of heartburn.
For more information see your Doctor or Healthcare Professional.
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