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Are you one of those who felt burning sensation that seems to crawl up your chest? Or that bloated feeling and constant burping and belching that sometimes come with a bitter/sour taste in your mouth? If you have these symptoms, then you have GERD.

GERD stands for gastro esophageal reflux disease. It affects the general population which could include you and me. It is considered the most prevalent acid-related disease in most parts of the world. GERD is a bothersome digestive problem that can give you discomfort and pain and can affect your daily activities.

GERD is a very common medical condition among people who are not aware that they could get it by unhealthy lifestyles. GERD is where acid from the stomach flows back upwards into the esophagus or what we call the food pipe. Since the inner wall of our esophagus is not naturally protected against the corrosive effects of acid, constant presence of acid may cause injury to the esophageal wall, affecting its lining which becomes inflamed and leads to development of ulcerations. It is important that we should know how to manage GERD by learning more about it and how to prevent it.

What causes GERD?

There is a ring of smooth muscle fiber called sphincter inside us that connects the esophagus and the stomach. This sphincter works like a gate that allows food entry to the stomach, and prevents reflux of gastric contents. To those who are suffering GERD, the sphincter has been weakened, and thereby it failed to effectively prevent the upward flow of acidic stomach content into the esophagus, thus, causing GERD.

What are the symptoms of GERD?

• Heartburn – It is a burning discomfort that goes from the stomach or lower chest up to the neck or throat. This is the most common symptom, which occurs almost after every meal.

• Acid Reflux – You experience a sour or bitter taste in the mouth or at the back of your throat.

• Constant burping, belching or bloated feeling

• Pain or discomfort in the chest

• Sudden appearance of sour or bitter taste in your mouth that even wakes you up at night

• Having a coarse voice frequently or sore throat in the morning

• Chronic cough without apparent cause, especially after meals

• Nausea

• A lump feeling in the throat

• Dental erosions

Self-help tips to relief GERD

Apart from taking your medications regularly, there are certain lifestyle modifications you can adopt to reduce GERD symptoms.

1. Eat smaller but frequent meals.

2. Intake of spicy and oily foods should be reduced.

3. Stop smoking as nicotine can weaken the sphincter.

4. If you are a wine drinker, avoid alcohol consumption, especially red wine.

5. Avoid eating three hours before bedtime.

6. Avoid bending or stooping after eating.

7. Always maintain a healthy weight.

8. Exercise regularly but don’t do sit-ups and leg lifts as this can worsen acid reflux.

9. Wear clothes that are comfortable. Wearing tight garments can put extra pressure on your abdomen and forces acid upward.

10. Sleep with the head of your bed raised. Don’t use pillows if you use a bed that has a headboard that can be raised by 6 to 8 inches.

11. Reduce stress. Stress is almost the cause of many illness.

12. Maintain a good posture. It can give easy passage of food.

If your GERD has become too bothersome that it affects your daily activities already, you need to go see your doctor to learn more about GERD and about various medications that can help ease your pain and how to manage GERD.