Do you sometimes have a sour, acidic taste in your mouth? You might call it upset stomach, heartburn, indigestion, or acid reflux. If you have continual heartburn and you experience severe, frequent symptoms of acid backwash, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
GERD sounds pretty harmless, like a nickname for your grandmother’s sweet friend Gerdie, but folks who suffer from GERD know that it’s far from benevolent; GERD can make your life miserable. Affecting millions of people – up to 40% of the US, GERD symptoms can take away your favorite foods and negatively affect your sleep, which can decrease your work productivity, and overall diminish your quality of life.
Do these GERD symptoms look familiar?
- Bloating
- Bloody or black stool
- Bloody vomiting
- Burping
- Chronic sore throat
- Dry cough
- Heartburn
- Hiccups
- Hoarseness
- Nausea
- Regurgitation
- Weight loss
To lessen symptoms, you can modify your lifestyle by eating smaller, more frequent meals and take antacids. Avoid highly seasoned or fatty foods, acidic juice, alcoholic drinks, or late-night snacks. Don’t lie down for two to three hours after eating and try elevating your head while sleeping. Also avoid chewing gum, quit smoking, and maintain a healthy weight.
Talk to your primary care provider about your symptoms—they can prescribe more powerful medications that may be able to help your GERD. If these measures still aren’t enough; you don’t have to suffer with the condition. At Northern Light Health, we offer heartburn surgery to fix the lower esophageal opening and help keep stomach acid in its place. If medication and lifestyle changes don’t help improve your heartburn, talk to your primary care provider about a referral to speak to a heartburn specialist.
Learn more about GERD options here.