Gastroesophageal Reflux: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and Treatments

Reflux is becoming more and more common today. If you have reflux, learn the best ways to treat and alleviate this health problem . If not, get to know it and learn how to prevent it!

What is reflux?

It is a group of discomforts that accompany changes in the esophagus , product of an abnormal movement of gastric content and acid in the esophagus ( gastroesophageal reflux ).

How does reflux occur?

Technically, the esophagus of an adult is a 35-40 cm canal that connects from the mouth to the stomach . It is elastic, and the thickness of its wall contains muscular layers internally covered by a delicate mucous membrane, similar to that of the mouth. The beginning of the esophagus is located in the lower part of the neck , below the mediastinum, and passes through the diaphragm through a hole called the hiatus, a few centimeters before the opening of the stomach.

When the esophagus slides up more than 2 to 3 cm, it pulls out the stomach and both structures move in the chest. With this anatomical change, the hiatal hernia is detached, which, in turn, affects the antireflux valve. When the content of the stomach, usually very acidic, reaches the lining of the esophagus, the tissue reacts by inflaming and causing reflux esophagitis to appear .

Causes of reflux

When eaten, food goes through the throat to the stomach via the esophagus. Once food is in the stomach, a ring of muscle fibers prevents food from moving back up the esophagus. These muscle fibers are called the lower esophageal sphincter , if this sphincter muscle does not close properly , food, liquids and acids from the stomach can leak into the esophagus, this is called reflux or gastroesophageal reflux. Reflux can cause the following symptoms or even damage the esophagus.

Risk factors for reflux are:

  • Alcohol (possibly, although not everyone is affected in the same way);
  • Hiatal hernia (a problem in which part of the stomach passes over the diaphragm, which is the muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities);
  • Obesity ;
  • Pregnancy ;
  • Scleroderma;
  • To smoke;
  • Carbonated drinks

Heartburn and GERD can be caused or exacerbated by pregnancy and many medications, such as:

  • Anticholinergics (for example, for motion sickness);
  • Beta-blockers for high blood pressure or heart disease;
  • Bronchodilators for asthma;
  • Calcium channel blockers in arterial hypertension;
  • Active dopaminergic drugs for Parkinson’s disease;
  • Progestin for abnormal menstrual bleeding or birth control;
  • Sedatives for anxiety or insomnia ;
  • Tricyclic antidepressants.

If you suspect that any of these medications may be causing you heartburn, talk to your doctor. Never change or stop taking a medication regularly without consulting your doctor, unless you feel a general malaise.

Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux

The most common characteristics of reflux are:

  • Feeling that food may have “caught” in the throat or chest.
  • Nausea after eating
  • Increased symptoms that increase when bending over, lean forward, lie down, or eat
  • Most symptoms are likely to happen (or get worse) at night
  • Symptoms are relieved with antacids

Other less common symptoms are:

  • Coughing or wheezing
  • Difficulty to swallow
  • hypo
  • Hoarseness or voice change
  • Regurgitation of food or vomiting
  • Throat pain

Treatments to improve or avoid having reflux

It is important that you avoid large amounts of food before going to bed, and some people benefit from sleeping in a bed with their head elevated about 8 to 10 inches .

Some measures that help control symptoms are:

  • Avoid alcohol and carbonated drinks;
  • Do not consume liquid that is too hot;
  • Drink a minimum of liquid during or after meals
  • Avoid drinking black tea and black coffee on an empty stomach

The most widely used drugs are those that reduce the level of acidity in the stomach (popular antacids) and those that inhibit the production of acid by stomach cells (systemic antacids) , the best known of which is Almax .

Other drugs, from a group called prokinetics such as Omeprazole , are intended to facilitate the emptying of stomach contents into the intestine and minimize the amount that can flow into the esophagus.

Exams and tests for reflux

You may not need all the tests if your symptoms are not severe, but if they are or return after being treated quickly, one or more tests can help you diagnose reflux or any complications:

  • The endoscopy is often used to find the cause and examine the damage to the esophagus. The doctor inserts a thin tube with a camera on the end through your mouth, the tube is then passed through the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine;
  • Barium enema ;
  • Continuous esophageal pH monitoring;
  • Esophageal manometry ;
  • A positive test for occult bleeding in the stool can diagnose bleeding that comes from irritation of the esophagus, stomach, or intestines.

Foods to avoid

To prevent heartburn , avoid foods and drinks that can trigger symptoms. For many people, these include:

If other foods cause you heartburn regularly, avoid them too, common sense is our best weapon.

Even if you are not a vegetarian, I recommend that you read this article: Calcium in the body: Why is milk from animals contraindicated? What are the best sources of calcium for vegetarians?

Changes in your lifestyle

In addition to avoiding the foods described above, try to make the following changes to your eating habits and lifestyle :

  • Avoid slouching or exercising immediately after eating
  • Avoid clothing or belts that are tight around the waist
  • Don’t go to bed on a full stomach.
  • Avoid eating food 2 to 3 hours before going to bed .
  • Do not smoke.
  • Eat smaller meals.
  • Lose weight if you are overweight.
  • Reduce stress, if you need help, check out our article on how to reduce stress naturally .
  • Sleep with your head elevated a minimum of 15 cms. To do this, tilt the entire bed or use a wedge under your body, not just regular pillows.

Anti-reflux surgery (Nissen fundoplication and others)

These may be an option for patients whose symptoms do not go away with lifestyle changes and medications. Heartburn and other symptoms should improve after surgery, but heartburn medications may still be needed. There are new therapies for reflux that can be done through endoscopy (a flexible tube passed through the mouth into the stomach).

How can I prevent gastroesophageal reflux

About 10% of adults suffer from heartburn almost every day, and 40% to 50% sometimes. The modern trend is to view reflux as a chronic disease, and its symptoms may disappear with treatment but return quickly with interruption.

Lifestyle changes can significantly relieve symptoms. Take a look at some tips to prevent reflux .

  • Try to eat small amounts more times a day. Ideally, you should eat four or five times a day , every three hours, in small portions. Large meals can make reflux worse .
  • Don’t sleep after meals. The weightlessness when lying down facilitates the routing of gastric contents into the esophagus.
  • Avoid fizzy drinks . Do not drink soda and sparkling water as the gases are concentrated in the intestine, which causes stomach distention and this encourages reflux.
  • Reduce the amount of coffee, chocolate, and cigarettes. The substances in cigarettes and these drinks relax the lower esophageal sphincter , allowing food to return.
  • Forget tight clothing . Clothing that is very tight on the abdomen, such as lycra pants, straps and belts, increase the pressure in this area of ​​the body, causing the reflux to pass into the esophagus.
  • Cut down on the spices . Pepper and other spices can increase the secretion of acid by the stomach, increasing the possibility of reflux, you can replace them with aromatic herbs that do not have this problem.
  • Reduce the amount of fried foods. The high fat content of some foods overloads the stomach and also relaxes the sphincter and this can reverse the natural path of food.
Website | + posts

Kathie Sand always saw the world of beauty as the terrain on which to build her professional career, a goal that was clear to her when she was only 15 years old. Her great concern to expand knowledge led her to settle in Paris where she studied hand in hand with the best beauty professionals and with the most advanced techniques for skin care.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top