Acid reflux disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the appearance of a burning feeling in the chest due to stomach acid rising up into the esophagus. Symptoms of stomach acid disease appear at least twice a week.
Acid reflux or gastric acid can be experienced by adults or children. Symptoms of gastric disease are often suspected of being a heart attack or coronary heart disease, because the symptoms are almost similar to chest pain.
Although not as deadly as a heart attack, stomach acid or GERD needs to be treated so it doesn't cause complications.
Acid reflux disease or GERD is caused by weakening of the muscles in the lower esophagus or lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This muscle is shaped like a ring that can open and close the esophagus.
When eating, the LES muscles will relax so that food can enter from the esophagus into the stomach. After food descends into the stomach, this muscle will tighten and close.
In GERD sufferers, the LES muscle weakens so it cannot close. As a result, stomach contents and stomach acid come back up into the esophagus.There are several conditions that can cause the LES muscles to weaken, namely:
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Elderly
- Gastroparesis
Even so, symptoms of increased stomach acid in babies, such as spitting up or burping after feeding or eating, need to be watched out for if it doesn't go away after 1 year of age.
When stomach acid rises, the walls of the esophagus and mouth can become irritated.This condition can cause a sour taste in the back of the mouth and a burning sensation in the chest (heartburn) with or without being accompanied by shortness of breath.
Both of these symptoms mainly occur after eating and can be worse when the patient lies down or bends over. Apart from a sour taste in the back of the mouth and heartburn, acid reflux disease or GERD also experiences the following symptoms:
Bad breath A feeling of a lump in the throat, especially when swallowing Easy to fill Frequent burping and hoarse voice Sore throat that doesn't go away and pain when swallowing Nausea and vomiting Chronic cough without phlegm or chronic dry cough, especially at night Symptoms of increased stomach acid are more common at night, causing difficulty sleeping. GERD can also cause symptoms of asthma and inflammation of the vocal cords (laryngitis).
Treatment of stomach acid or GERD can be done with lifestyle changes, consumption of drugs, or surgery. Here is the explanation:
Lifestyle Changes In order to relieve the symptoms of increased stomach acid, the doctor will advise the patient to make lifestyle changes first. The changes referred to include:
Lose weight if you are overweight Avoid foods and drinks that cause stomach acid to rise, such as caffeine and alcohol Eat smaller portions but more often Do not smoke Limiting or reducing consumption of certain drugs, such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Don't wear tight clothes Do not slouch, sit back, or lie down, for at least 3 hours after eating Sleep on your left side or use extra pillows to elevate your body from the waist up
Drugs
A number of drugs are given to treat increased stomach acid (GERD), including:
1. Drugs that neutralize stomach acid
These drugs are called antacids and are sold over the counter. Antacids can relieve symptoms of stomach acid disease quickly.
2. Drugs that reduce stomach acid production
Unlike antacids which immediately neutralize stomach acid, these drugs work more slowly but can relieve symptoms for a longer time, because they don't just neutralize stomach acid. By reducing stomach acid production, inflammation in the esophagus can also improve.
Examples of drugs that reduce stomach acid production are H2 antagonist drugs (for example, cimetidine, famotidine,or ranitidine) and proton pump inhibitor drugs (for example, lansoprazole or omeprazole), and potassium-competitive acid blockers (for example, vonoprazan).
3. Drugs that accelerate the process of gastric emptying These drugs are called prokinetics and should only be taken with a doctor's prescription. Examples of these drugs are metoclopramide, domperidone, or cisapride. Emptying stomach contents more quickly can prevent stomach contents from rising into the esophagus.
Operation Surgery is the final treatment step for dealing with GERD or increased stomach acid, especially if lifestyle changes and medications are not effective in treating symptoms.
Surgery is also performed if the patient has experienced complications, such as narrowing of the esophagus which makes it difficult for food to go down into the stomach. The types of operations that can be performed include:
1.LES muscle binding surgery or fundoplication
This operation aims to prevent stomach acid from rising by binding the top of the stomach or the area around the LES muscle.
2. LINX tool installation operation
This magnetic ring-shaped device is wrapped around the LES muscle area, so that the area is only open when food or drink passes through the esophagus.
Apart from surgery, actions to strengthen the LES area can also be performed with an endoscope. In this procedure, the doctor will stitch and tie the lower part of the esophagus (LES area) with the help of a special tool in the form of a camera tube.
Complications can occur if stomach acid or GERD lasts a long time or is not treated thoroughly. These complications include:
Injury to the wall of the esophagus Stomach acid can erode the walls of the esophagus and cause sores or ulcers. Ulcers in the esophagus can bleed, and cause pain and difficulty swallowing.
Esophageal narrowing
The walls of the esophagus can be damaged because they are continuously irritated by stomach acid. Prolonged irritation can cause injury and scar tissue to form in the esophagus. This condition can make the esophagus or esophagus narrow.
Barrett's esophagus Barrett's esophagus is a precancerous condition of the esophagus. This condition occurs due to cell changes in the wall of the esophagus due to continuous irritation of stomach acid. This condition is at risk of becoming esophageal cancer.Prevention of stomach acid disease can be done by changing diet, drinking, and lifestyle. These changes include, namely:
Maintain body weight so that it is always ideal Lose weight if you are obese Avoid foods and drinks that trigger stomach acid to rise, for example, spicy, sour, high-fat foods, as well as coffee and alcoholic beverages Limit consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Do not lie down immediately after eating Implement a regular eating schedule Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight.
