Jakarta – GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease is a disorder that causes stomach contents to rise repeatedly until they reach the esophagus.
Quoted from the Indonesian Internal Medicine Specialist Association (PAPDI) page, GERD can result in symptoms and or complications that interfere with activities due to injury or irritation in the digestive tract.
If it occurs continuously for a long time, injury or irritation from GERD can cause structural changes in the lining of the esophagus.
As for outside the gastrointestinal tract, stomach acid that rises to the mouth can cause damage to teeth or dental erosion, laryngitis, asthma, and can even cause damage to the lungs when it enters the respiratory tract.
Symptoms of GERD
To anticipate, recognize the symptoms of GERD as reported by Tribunnews.com from the following PAPDI page.
Discomfort or pain in the abdomen that radiates up to the chest
A burning sensation or heartburn that gets worse especially after eating
Feeling bloated or bloated, especially in the upper abdomen
Feeling nauseous or uncomfortable, like throwing up
GERD Complications
Summarized from the Mayo Clinic page, GERD that is not treated immediately can lead to various complications, including:
Narrowing of the esophagus occurs due to widespread irritation caused by stomach acid.
Stomach acid that continuously irritates the walls of the esophagus and causes the formation of thickened scar tissue, causing narrowing.
This narrowing of the esophagus interferes with the passage of food and causes problems with swallowing.
Stomach acid that irritates the lining of the esophagus can cause open sores on the lining of the esophagus.
If there is an injury to the wall of the esophagus, a person can experience bleeding, pain, and difficulty swallowing.
Stomach acid that rises to the esophagus has the risk of entering the respiratory tract.
The stomach acid that enters the respiratory tract can cause irritation and cause inflammation of the lungs or pneumonia.
How to prevent GERD
For people with GERD, the main principle of treatment is to relieve symptoms and prevent complications.
This can be anticipated with medication or lifestyle changes.
Summarized from the PAPDI page, here are some things you can do to prevent GERD.
- Avoid excessive consumption of meat in a short time.
- Increase consumption of vegetables and fruits.
- Do not sleep within two hours of eating. This is because sleeping after eating can cause stomach contents to rise up into the esophagus.
- Avoid foods that are too sour and spicy.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages, fizzy drinks, and coffee.
- Avoid excessive stress.
- Control body weight to stay ideal. []
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