Acid reflux cure is possible through various methods. Medications, lifestyle adjustments, and preventive measures can help manage the condition. It is a digestive disease, which occurs when the stomach acid drips off into the oesophagus. The oesophagus is the channel that makes your food reach the tummy.
In general, this pipe opens when you eat and closes as soon as the food or drink gets into the stomach. However, it may not perform its function well in some cases, and various causes can be responsible for the issue. The dripping off acid in the food pipe can cause a burning sensation in the chest or throat, called heartburn. It can damage the food pipe over time and cause other long-term health conditions. Therefore, it is significant to manage your condition.
What are the best ways to prevent GERD?
Numerous things can put a stop to indigestion. Nevertheless, you must talk to your health care professional about the benefits and risks these activities can have on your disease. Following are some preventive measures-
Do not eat in bulk
Eating smaller meals will trim down the possibility of the food staying in your stomach for a long time. Ultimately, this act can help with your acid reflux cure.
Manage your weight
Excess weight can increase heaviness on the stomach, causing your stomach content to flow backward into the food pipe.
Avoid late-night snacking
Do not eat for at least three hours before going to sleep. Late-night snacking can make your gastrointestinal oesophagus reflux disease (GERD) even worse. For that reason, try not to eat before going to bed.
Wear comfortable clothes
Do not wear uncomfortable clothes, especially around your waist. Nevertheless, if you wear a belt, make it loose when you eat food or after eating it. Tight waistbands put pressure on your stomach, increasing the risk of heartburn.
Elevate your bedhead
Heighten the head of your bed by around five to six inches. For this, you can put something under your mattress or legs. Doing so may allow the gravity to induce the foods and drinks to stay in the stomach, preventing their dripping off into the food pipe.
Get moving
Try doing workouts before eating your meals. Do not perform any exercise after having your food. This can elevate the risk of GERD and make your symptoms worse. In addition, avoid the activities and other situations that hinder your acid reflux cure.
Avoid citric fruits
Cut off citrus fruits and acidic foods from your diet. These fruits may be tomatoes, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and pineapple.
Cut off alcohol consumption
Limit alcohol use as it can worsen your condition and hinder your healing procedure. Alcohol relaxes the lower oesophagus sphincter (LES) and increases the risk of indigestion.
Quit smoking
Try to control nicotine addiction as it worsens GERD symptoms. Several treatments, such as nicotine replacement therapy, behavioural therapy, cold turkey, and medications like Champix, can help quit smoking.
Avoid fatty foods
Foods rich in fat and carbohydrates can induce GERD symptoms and make your condition even worse. These foodstuffs elicit the increased production of stomach acid. Furthermore, they remain in your stomach for a long time, increasing the chances of heartburn.
What medications can treat gastrointestinal oesophagus reflux disease (GERD)?
A range of medications can help relieve indigestion. However, the selection of a particular type of medication relies upon your health condition, the severity of the disease, and personal preference. Following are some most effective medicines for acid reflux cure-
Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)
These drugs decrease acid production in the stomach by holding back proton pumps. PPIs are more powerful and effective than the H2 blockers and are accessible by prescription only. You can buy some of these tablets over-the-counter in small doses. However, it is finest to reach out to your healthcare provider for a diagnosis before starting any solutions.
H2 blockers
These medications obstruct histamine type 2 receptors in the tummy. Ultimately, H2 blockers help manage its release into the digestive tract. This process stops surplus acid production and eases sour throat, heartburn, and chest pain. In addition, you can get them by prescription or over-the-counter. You can use them every day or as required for symptoms.
Antacids
These medicines reduce the effect of stomach acid. Eventually, they alleviate GERD symptoms. You can get antacids from drugstores and grocery stores. However, you should use this type of acid reflux cure to ease meek symptoms that too occasionally. If your symptoms demand to use them frequently or for long, look for the opinion of your healthcare provider.
When is surgery suitable for this condition?
Experts recommend surgical operation only when medications and lifestyle adjustments don’t bring effective results. Moreover, this remedy is suitable for people with a damaged oesophagus. Other reasons can be an additional hindrance that holds back the movement of the food.
What surgical methods are available?
Two forms of surgical operations can help treat GERD. These are partial fundoplication and total fundoplication. The procedures manage symptoms by decreasing or eradicating acid and food dripping into the oesophagus. However, these solutions do not heal your condition completely. Surgical methods have some risks. They can be infection, leakage of the stomach contents into the food pipe, and side effects like anaesthesia.
Total (full) fundoplication
This acid reflux treatment deals with binding all of the tummy parts around the lower oesophagus. Nevertheless, surgeons execute total fundoplication in two ways-
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Open total fundoplication
This remedy deals with making an incision through the centre of your breastbone.
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Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication
In this procedure, experts drape the top section of the tummy around the lower oesophagus. Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication uses three or four tiny ports (incisions) to introduce surgical equipment and a camera to see within the abdomen. In addition, some surgeons may also use a petite video camera hooked up with the edge of the scope. It helps enlarge the operative range.
Partial fundoplication
It is just like regular fundoplication. Instead of binding around the food pipe, the expert only binds a section of it. Partial fundoplication can help in acid reflux cure. However, it does not cure GERD symptoms caused by food or bile refluxing into the food pipe.
