Live Life Team
Heart burn is a painful and a burning sensation in the oesophagus (a tube that runs from the throat to the stomach).
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or GORD is a disease which is a result of a situation called the acid reflux. When the stomach acid leaks back up into the oesophagus it is a condition of acid reflux.
The GORD if diagnosed as chronic will occur throughout a person’s life in recurring episodes. These repeated episodes of GORD can lead to the inflammation of the lining of the Oesophagus. This condition is known as Oesophagitis.
GORD is a consequence of your daily activities, namely eating habits and lifestyle. An individual who eats small meals and does not smoke can change the affect to the acid reflex which causes GORD. This can be treated by various medicines, however if the condition is said to be severe then there will a requirement of surgery.
GORD is a condition which is very common among people. It is researched that 10-20% of the masses have these episodes of acid reflux at least once every week These episodes of acid reflux are the most frequent cause of heart burn and indigestion in people.
Symptoms of Heart Burn
GORD or Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is caused by two most common symptoms which are heartburn and regurgitation of acid.
Heartburn is when you feel a burning sensation in the stomach or the lower chest. This sensation rises up towards the neck. The second symptom is regurgitation of acid in the throat and mouth. This is characterized by the mouth experiencing a sour unpleasant taste. These symptoms feel worse when the individual lies flat and after consuming a large meal at night.
Causes of Heartburn
GORD is mainly a result of a muscle known as the LOS or the lower oesophageal sphincter situated below the oesophagus. The LOS opens like a gate and lets food inside the stomach and then closes immediately to prevent the leaking of acid into the oesophagus. A person suffering from GORD has a weak LOS where the LOS allows the acid to pass to the oesophagus, thus causing heartburn.
GORD is also a result of delay indisposing stomach acids and also when your stomach experiences more pressure than normal.
There are a few risk factors that can cause the condition of GORD. They are as follows.
-Diet-An individual who has a diet high in fatty food, which takes time for the stomach to digest and dispose acid.
-Substance abuse-substances like alcohol, chocolate, tobacco, and coffee can make the LOS weak.
-Pregnancy-changes that happen to the hormone level during pregnancy can increase pressure on the stomach and weaken the LOS.
-Obese
-Stress
-Hiatus hernia-When a part of the stomach pushes up a muscle called the diaphragm it may cause GORD. Diaphragm is a muscle used for breathing.
-Medications-usage of certain medicines can cause the LOS to weaken. Medicines such as anticholinergics and calcium channel blockers.
Diagnosis of Heart burn
A GORD can be diagnosed mainly by the method of Endoscopy. This method is used to confirm if the individual is suffering from Heart Burn. However even a General Physician can diagnose the condition by the symptoms that the patient has experienced.
Endoscopy
In this method a device known as the endoscope is used to directly examine the inside of the patient’s body. It is inserted through the mouth and passed down into the body through the throat. This method of endoscopy is performed usually keeping the patient awake, but in some cases a sedative can be given to relax the patient.
The endoscope is a long thin flexible tube that is inserted into the body .It has a video camera and a light which is the source through which an image is portrayed on an external monitor.
This method will determine whether the stomach acids have damaged the surface of the oesophagus .The endoscopy also helps in determining a more serious condition called the stomach cancer which can also cause heart burn.
ENRD or Endoscopy negative reflux disease
There is a type of GORD known as the endoscopy negative reflux disease. It occurs when the endoscopy cannot detect any symptoms even when they are actually present. There is an unknown cause for ENRD. However like any other GORD, the treatment for ENRD will be the same.
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