{"id":5731,"date":"2021-12-09T15:00:19","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T15:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enorcerna.com\/wiki\/medicine\/how-to-cure-gastric-reflux-13-remedies-against-heartburn\/"},"modified":"2021-12-09T15:00:19","modified_gmt":"2021-12-09T15:00:19","slug":"how-to-cure-gastric-reflux-13-remedies-against-heartburn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enorcerna.com\/wiki\/medicine\/how-to-cure-gastric-reflux-13-remedies-against-heartburn\/","title":{"rendered":"How to cure gastric reflux (13 remedies against heartburn)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The stomach is the center of the digestive system<\/strong>, which allows us to degrade the macronutrients present in food in order to obtain bioassimilable molecules that can be captured by our cells, thus obtaining both energy to maintain their physiological functions and matter to regenerate the organs and tissues of the body.<\/p>\n

Thus, the stomach, located in the abdominal cavity and consisting of a hollow muscular organ, has walls that contain cells that produce digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid to achieve, in addition to killing practically all microorganisms, that they Solid foods turn into liquids, then pass to the intestines for absorption.<\/p>\n

But we must not forget that, since it is such a complex organ at both a physiological and anatomical level, the stomach is susceptible to developing many pathologies. Hence, stomach diseases are one of the most prevalent. And of all of them, there is one that is especially relevant at a clinical level: gastroesophageal reflux disease.<\/p>\n

Popularly known as \"heartburn\", this disease consists of the tendency for stomach acid to circulate in the opposite direction and pass into the esophagus, irritating it and causing a very annoying symptomatology that mainly occurs with burning. Therefore, in today's article and from the hand of the most prestigious scientific publications, let's see the best tips to combat this heartburn<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

What is gastroesophageal reflux?<\/h2>\n

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as gastric reflux or heartburn, is a stomach condition in which stomach acid circulates in the opposite direction and passes into the esophagus, causing irritation of the esophagus<\/strong>. We speak of GERD when this situation occurs at least twice a week.<\/p>\n

The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach, but unlike the stomach, it does not have an epithelium that is morphologically and physiologically designed to resist high acidity. Therefore, when stomach acids get to it, it becomes irritated. And from this irritation the symptomatology arises.<\/p>\n

These clinical signs, the severity of which depends on many factors, usually consist of heartburn<\/strong> (although, as we see, this sensation actually happens in the esophagus), tendency to regurgitation (which, unlike vomiting, occurs without muscular effort), difficulty swallowing, chest pain, feeling of having a lump in the throat and , if it occurs at night, chronic cough, sleep disturbances, onset (or worsening, if already suffered) of asthma and laryngitis.<\/p>\n

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Although the causes behind this pathology remain unclear, it is believed that, although the genetic factor (which does not mean that it is inherited from parents to children) seems to play an important role, risk factors such as obesity , the abuse of certain medications (including ibuprofen), excess coffee, alcoholism, smoking and excesses with fatty foods, especially those fried, can contribute to its appearance or worsening.<\/p>\n

In addition, it must be clear that, although most cases are mild and sporadic, if this gastric reflux persists too long, the esophagus can become chronically inflamed, leading to complications<\/strong> such as esophageal stricture (a narrowing of the esophagus that causes swallowing difficulties), Barrett's esophagus (changes in the esophageal tissue that increase the risk of esophageal cancer), and esophageal ulcers (which are open sores in the esophagus that can bleed and cause a lot of pain). Therefore, it is essential to know how you can combat this heartburn.<\/p>\n

How can you fight gastroesophageal reflux?<\/h2>\n

Before we begin, we want to make it very clear that while most cases can be treated at home with lifestyle changes, there are scenarios where medical care is needed to consider. And if your chest pain is accompanied by shortness of breath, you feel pain in your arm or jawbone, you are taking non-prescription medications for heartburn more than twice a week and \/ or the symptoms are severe and frequent, you have to consult with your doctor.<\/p>\n

But as we say, most people who suffer from heartburn due to gastric reflux can control their discomfort with easy-to-apply remedies. Let's see, then, what remedies are used to cure gastroesophageal reflux and, in the end, we will analyze the medical alternatives for the most serious cases. Let us begin.<\/p>\n

1. Avoid foods and drinks that cause reflux<\/h3>\n

Coffee, alcohol, fried foods, fatty foods, spicy products, carbonated drinks, chocolate, mint, garlic, onion and tomato sauce are foods that irritate the lining of the stomach and that, for therefore, they favor reflux. Therefore, if we have burning problems, we must reduce its consumption<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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2. Maintain a healthy weight<\/h3>\n

As we have said, being overweight is one of the main risk factors for gastric reflux, as there is greater pressure on the abdomen which, in turn, pushes the stomach upwards favoring the acid to circulate towards the esophagus. If you think this may be your situation, it is important that, as far as possible, try to regain your optimal weight<\/strong>. We leave this to you in case it can be of help to you.<\/p>\n

3. Stop smoking (or don't start)<\/h3>\n

Smoking is one of the main risk factors behind gastric reflux, as smoking reduces pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter<\/strong>, the one that prevents the acid from flowing towards the esophagus, as it is a valve between the esophagus and the stomach. As the pressure is reduced, it is easier for this backflow to occur. Therefore, it is important that if you smoke you stop and if you don't smoke, that you don't start.<\/p>\n

4. Do not eat shortly before going to sleep<\/h3>\n

In 2013, a study showed that people who are going to sleep 3 hours after having dinner<\/strong> have a lower risk of gastric reflux. It is important to allow this time between eating and going to sleep so that the body can properly digest food.<\/p>\n

5. Avoid tight clothing<\/h3>\n

It may seem that it is unrelated, but the truth is that our clothing influences the development of gastric reflux. Garments that are very tight at the waist put pressure on both the abdomen and the inner esophageal sphincter that we have mentioned, thus increasing the risk of this reflux occurring. Therefore, we should avoid these clothes.<\/p>\n

6. Eat slowly<\/h3>\n

Eating quickly and without chewing enough is one of the main risk factors<\/strong>. And is that digestion begins in the mouth, so if we do not carry out this grinding of food well, digestion in the stomach will be more complicated. In addition, by eating more slowly we will have less anxiety (and the psychological factor is key in stomach disorders) and we will give the stomach more time to warn us that it is full, so it is likely that we will eat less.<\/p>\n

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7. Raise the head of the bed<\/h3>\n

A tip for those who suffer from reflux at night, while they sleep. In case this happens, one of the best tips is to raise the head of the bed by 15-23 cm<\/strong> to have a taller upper body and reduce the risk of stomach acid passing into the esophagus. It is not too effective to do it with pillows, but we should directly raise the legs of the bed with blocks.<\/p>\n

8. Try breathing techniques<\/h3>\n

As we have already advanced, the psychological factor is very important in this pathology. Faced with a reflux attack, it is very important that we prevent anxiety from dominating us, as this can make symptoms worse. When we experience burning, we should focus (we know it is difficult, but we must try) on doing calming breathing techniques. These will not stop the ebb, but they will they can prevent us from feeling worse signs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

9. Chew gum after meals<\/h3>\n

Chewing gum is a good strategy, as it stimulates the production of saliva (which helps neutralize stomach acid) and increases the frequency of swallowing<\/strong> (something that increases the rate of acid elimination in the esophagus), so it is a good way to control this pathology. It is important that the chewing gum is sugar-free and mint-free, since We have said that this product increases the risk of reflux.<\/p>\n

10. Introduce foods rich in fiber into the diet<\/h3>\n

Fiber is a nutrient (although technically it is not since it is not digested) that helps us feel full and promote digestion. In addition, it has been seen that its consumption is related to an improvement in the symptoms of gastric reflux. Therefore, it is important to include foods rich in fiber in the diet, such as the ones you can find in this article.<\/p>\n

11. Keep a record of the pathology<\/h3>\n

It is important that, once you have started to apply these tips, you keep a record of the situation. Write down what you eat every day<\/strong> stop, in case reflux appears, see what you did that day. You may find triggers that you can correct. And in the same way, then see if the situation (in severity and frequency) is getting worse, thus seeing if you need to go to the doctor.<\/p>\n

12. Try herbal remedies<\/h3>\n

When it comes to advice applicable at home, we have saved this one for last as it lacks the same scientific acceptance as the others. Still, many people claim that herbal remedies are very helpful in fighting reflux. And, unless you have any contraindications, they will not harm you. You can try green tea, fennel tea, licorice infusion or chamomile infusion. But do not forget that these herbal remedies can interfere with the action of medications and even have adverse side effects.<\/p>\n

13. As a last alternative, seek medical attention<\/h3>\n

If none of the above has worked and you continue to have frequent reflux and with particularly severe symptoms, a visit to the doctor is essential. He will inspect the situation and, depending on what you need, you will opt for over-the-counter medications (such as antacids), prescription drugs and even, because you have to be prepared for it, surgery may be considered.<\/p>\n

Gastroesophageal reflux can almost always be fought with the home remedies that we have seen and, for the vast majority of remaining cases that do not respond well, with medications<\/strong>. But there is a small percentage (if the medications do not work or the patient does not want to follow a long-term drug treatment) that may require surgical intervention:<\/p>\n

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    Fundoplication<\/strong>: A minimally invasive procedure that involves wrapping the upper part of the stomach around the lower esophageal sphincter to tighten it and thus prevent acid from passing into the esophagus.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    LINX device<\/strong>: A device that is implanted with minimally invasive surgery and that is wrapped around the junction between the stomach and the esophagus. Being a ring with small magnetic beads, this magnetism attraction is weak enough to allow food to pass through but strong enough to prevent reflux.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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