We’ve all heard it said after a meal. Your uncle or aunt holds their chest and says “I think I have heartburn.” You may feel a burning in the chest or throat called heartburn. This burn typically happens after eating and may occur at night. Sometimes, you can taste stomach fluid in the back of the mouth. The burning is the most common symptom and affects over 10 million people on a daily basis! If you have these symptoms more than twice a week, you may have GERD.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, happens when a muscle at the end of your esophagus does not close properly. This allows stomach contents to leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus and irritate it. You can also have GERD without having heartburn. Anyone, including infants and children, can have GERD.
Here’s the Science
Your esophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. At the lower end of the esophagus, where it joins the stomach, there is a circular ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). After swallowing, the LES relaxes to allow food to enter the stomach and then contracts to prevent the back-up of food and acid into the esophagus. Sometimes the LES gets weak or relaxed allowing liquids in the stomach to wash back into the esophagus. This is called reflux, which is a normal process and can happen to everybody. It is when the reflux becomes bothersome that it becomes a real problem. In general, damage to the esophagus is more likely to occur when acid refluxes frequently, the reflux is very acidic, or the esophagus is unable to clear away the acid quickly.
Symptoms of GERD
Let’s look at some more symptoms of GERD:
- Dry cough
- Asthma symptoms
- Trouble swallowing
- Regurgitating/ vomiting
- Persistent sore throat
The following signs may indicate a bigger problem and you should seek help from your healthcare provider:
- Difficulty or pain with swallowing
- Unexplained weight loss
- Chest pain
- Choking
- Bleeding (vomiting blood or dark-colored stools)
What can you do?
If not treated, GERD can lead to more serious health problems. In some cases, you might need medicines or surgery. However, many people can improve their symptoms by making lifestyle changes mostly which include diet and exercise.
- Avoid alcohol and spicy, fatty or acidic foods that trigger heartburn- Some foods cause relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, promoting acid reflux. Try to stay away from things like citrus, caffeine, chocolate and peppermint.
- Eat smaller meals- this may prevent the stomach from becoming overdistended, which can cause acid reflux.
- Don’t eat close to bedtime- Lying down with a full stomach may increase the risk of acid reflux. By eating three or more hours before bedtime, reflux may be reduced.
- Lose weight– Studies show that people who are obese have 2.5 more times the likelihood of GERD symptoms. The benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks and discomforts of acid reflux so it is important to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle. Low impact work like walking or smoother workouts like strength training and biking are a great solution. Too much jumping around can cause the reflux to be exacerbated and it is better not to do any work on your back because that may increase symptoms. Make sure to stay hydrated as the water can aid in digestion. Allow time to digest before starting your workout.
Making lifestyle changes is a great way to reduce GERD symptoms. Depending on the severity of your symptoms your doctor will come up with alternate ways to treat GERD. As always consult your physician or medical provider before beginning an exercise program. If you have any questions about starting or maintaining an exercise program while being treated for GERD, contact us.
References:
- “GERD”. Accessed 26 May 2015. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gerd.html#cat3
- “Getting Fit with GERD”. Accessed 26 May 2015. Spark People. http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=824
- “Even a Little Weight Gain – or Loss — Can Affect Your Heartburn.” Accessed 26 May 2015. WebMD. http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/features/weight-gain-loss-heartburn
- Image courtesy of samarttiw at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
