Sources: Harvard, Mayo Clinic 1
Risk factors for GERD include connective tissue disorders/laxity ligamentous, obesity, autism, POTS2, pregnancy.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a condition in which stomach acid repeatedly flows back up into the tube connecting the mouth and stomach, called the esophagus. It’s often called GERD for short. This backwash is known as acid reflux., Symptoms include heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain, dry cough, shortness of breath, or trouble swallowing. Persistent GERD can lead to more serious health conditions like esophagitis.3
Most people can manage the discomfort of GERD with dietary and lifestyle changes and medicines. And though it’s uncommon, some may need surgery to help with symptoms.
Lifestyle changes to consider:4
- eat a GERD friendly diet
- avoid eating near bedtime
- drink plenty of water
- eat several small meals instead of three large ones
- placing a bolster under a mattress or using extra pillows to keep the head raised, which lessens the chance of acid rising to irritate the esophagus during sleep
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/symptoms-causes/syc-20361940 ↩︎
- https://normalyte.com/blogs/news/how-pots-affects-your-gi-tract?srsltid=AfmBOop9MsJJ5RmrMewYv7avHGQLLGkla9030QKO7B8tr-5itAz3fye0 ↩︎
- e ↩︎
- https://hhpl-teams.netlify.app/resources/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd-and-acid-reflux/?env=master&secret=3tBXPSLkXtuqde1qVVL_W93DzBxUi-P3PJ-vJxuAxQ0&slug=gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd-and-acid-reflux&type=article ↩︎