| Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD,
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| | some cases a physician will not do tests
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| is the medical term for what most people
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| | right away but will first prescribe
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| refer to as acid reflux disease.
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| | over-the-counter or prescription
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| Gastroesophageal is a relatively new term
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| | medications to see if they clear up the
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| for acid reflux disease. It has been used
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| | symptoms.
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| for approximately the past 20 years.
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| | If the medications do not take care of
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| Before that it was just referred to as
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| | the symptoms then a physician will likely
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| heartburn. But heartburn is just one of
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| | do one or more of the following
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| the symptoms of GERD. Some of the other
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| | diagnostic tests: x-rays with a barium
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| symptoms of GERD are regurgitation,
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| | swallow, an upper gastrointestinal x-ray
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| hoarseness or laryngitis, the feeling of
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| | series, an upper endoscopy, an esophageal
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| a lump in the throat, coughing, bad
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| | manometry, or a 24-hour pH probe. The
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| breath, asthma, difficulty swallowing,
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| | reason physicians may try
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| and water brash. Some people with GERD do
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| | over-the-counter or prescription
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| not have any symptoms at all.
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| | medications before running tests is
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| What happens to cause GERD? It starts
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| | because some of the tests, such as the
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| with acid in the stomach washing back up
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| | upper endoscopy and pH probe are
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| into the esophagus repeatedly, which
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| | invasive, and because of the costs of
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| happens if the lower esophageal sphincter
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| | some of the tests.
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| becomes relaxed.
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| | After diagnosing GERD, a physician will
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| Some foods and beverages can cause the
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| | recommend lifestyle changes such as the
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| lower esophageal sphincter to relax. This
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| | ones mentioned earlier in this article to
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| is not an all-inclusive list but some of
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| | help control the GERD, and depending on
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| the most common are: chocolate, licorice,
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| | the severity will recommend
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| peppermint, fatty foods, caffeinated
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| | over-the-counter medications or will
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| beverages, and alcohol. Barbiturates,
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| | prescribe a stronger medication by
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| calcium-channel blockers, Diazepam and
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| | prescription. The medications may need to
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| Sumitriptan are some of the medications
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| | be continued indefinitely because over
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| that cause the lower esophageal sphincter
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| | half of all people who stop taking their
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| to relax and allow acid back in to the
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| | medications after getting their symptoms
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| esophagus.
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| | under control have a recurrence within a
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| Lifestyle changes can be very effective
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| | year.
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| in helping to control GERD although over-
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| | If the medications do not alleviate the
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| the-counter medications, prescription
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| | symptoms, surgery may be needed. Surgery
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| medications, and possibly surgery, may
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| | is also an alternative to having to take
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| also be necessary. Some of the lifestyle
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| | medications indefinitely. A procedure
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| changes that may help control GERD
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| | called a "Nissen fundoplication" is the
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| include: losing weight if you are
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| | type of surgery typically done to relieve
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| overweight, avoiding high-fat foods, not
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| | GERD. In the surgery the upper part of
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| lying down right after eating, not eating
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| | the stomach located near the esophagus,
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| large heavy meals (i.e. don't overstuff
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| | called the "fundus," is wrapped around
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| yourself-especially on fatty foods), and
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| | the lower esophagus. Doing this
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| stopping smoking if you are a smoker.
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| | strengthens the barrier function of the
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| GERD can be a difficult disease to
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| | lower esophagus, thus preventing
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| diagnosis. That is because of the wide
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| | gastreosophageal reflux and repairing the
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| range of symptoms people can experience
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| | main irregularity that occurs in people
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| and the complication of some people not
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| | suffering from GERD. The surgery is
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| experiencing any symptoms at all. It is
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| | usually done laparoscopically. It is
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| easier to diagnosis if a person is
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| | considered a safe surgery (but remember
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| experiencing the classic symptoms of GERD
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| | any surgery carries risks) that typically
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| which are heartburn and regurgitation. In
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| | gives good results.
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