Part One of this series defined Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and described its often-painful effects on the body. Part Two deals with treating and managing symptoms and also how parents can help their children overcome its pain and discomfort.
How to manage and even prevent symptoms
Doctors also recommend changes to patient lifestyles, including avoiding tobacco and alcohol and switching to a diet with less fatty or fried foods. However, a 2006 Stanford University study revealed no tangible, universal link between dietary changes and improvement of symptoms.
Some patients find symptoms eased after they raised the head of their bed six to eight inches off the floor and began sleeping on the inclined mattress. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine lends credence to its reported effectiveness when paired with weight loss. The bed must be raised, however – just adding pillows is not sufficient. Other research shows sleeping on the left side of the body will also help reduce symptoms.
Experts also suggest GERD sufferers wear loose-fitting clothes around the waist and midsection, to give the stomach and digestive tract unrestricted room to move and breathe. Losing even a small amount of weight is also believed to ease or remove symptoms.
Patients should also not eat for at least two hours before bedtime. In particular, patients should not eat or drink foods high in acidic materials. These include milk and milk based products, which include high amounts of calcium and fat; foods high in Vitamin C such as oranges; cruciferous vegetables such as onions, spinach, and Brussels sprouts. They should also avoid chocolates and peppermint candies, as well as carbonated soft drinks. Smoking before bedtime also increases the risk of heartburn.
In some cases maintaining good posture will prevent spasms in the muscles around the esophagus that can trap stomach acid and gases. Good posture will also help reduce the coughing and asthma-like symptoms sometimes associated with acid reflux.
Some patients have also found relief from symptoms by frequently using chewing gum to increase the amount of saliva present in the mouth and esophagus. Others drink club soda or club soda mixed with Angostura bitters as a way to cure heartburn or nausea.
GERD and long-term complications
When left untreated or ignored, GERD can cause bleeding ulcers in the stomach and esophagus. It may also contribute to asthma and persistent cough.
In certain rare cases, GERD may lead to a condition known as Bartlett's Esophagus, in which the very lining of the esophagus changes into tissue more closely resembling the lining of the intestine. Bartlett's Esophagus patients are considered at a high risk for carcinoma.
Gastroesophageal reflux in children
Children with GER may not suffer heartburn symptoms but instead struggle with dry cough, asthma symptoms, or trouble swallowing. Babies and smaller children may also struggle with vomiting, constant crying, failure to gain wait, and incessant burping or belching.
Unfortunately, treatment of GERD is stymied somewhat because children may have all the symptoms of Gastroesophageal reflux or none at all: each set of symptoms is unique to the child. Complicating matters even more, some acid reflux is a normal occurrence in children, so identifying problem cases is especially difficult.
Parents helping their babies deal with GER can manage the babies' symptoms by burping them several times during each meal, keeping the child upright for a half hour after each feeding, and avoid giving too much food at one time. Parents should check the warning labels of all over the counter medications such as antacids or stomach soothers before giving them to children.
It's estimated that up to thirty-five percent of all children struggle with some degree of GER but outgrow it around their first birthday. Children struggling with chronic GERD may suffer with the problem into their teens. Parents who believe their children are suffering from excessive or chronic heartburn should consult their family pediatrician.
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse recommends older children with GERD eat smaller, more frequent meals and avoid the following in their diet: sodas with caffeine, peppermints, chocolate, spicy foods or foods high in acidic content such as oranges and lemons, and fried or fatty foods. Children should also have their last daily meal between two and three hours before going to bed, to give the stomach time to digest the food before lying down.
GERD in pregnant women
GERD is a common condition for pregnant women, as their body's systems adapt to the growing fetus inside them. Women who are pregnant can take antacids to treat GERD symptoms, but should consult their doctor before taking any more serious medications.
In most instances symptoms lessen or disappear entirely after the baby is born.
When to seek medical assistance
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is believed to be present whenever heartburn or other symptoms occur more than twice a week. Just the same, it's important for patients who find themselves at high risk to seek professional diagnosis. They may be able to catch symptoms in their early stages, making management of pain and discomfort that much easier.
This helpful article was brought to you by Corner Stork Baby Gifts at http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com. Corner Stork offers hundreds of baby gifts, baby shower favors, and many more helpful articles like this one on babies, parenting and pregnancy.
How to manage and even prevent symptoms
Doctors also recommend changes to patient lifestyles, including avoiding tobacco and alcohol and switching to a diet with less fatty or fried foods. However, a 2006 Stanford University study revealed no tangible, universal link between dietary changes and improvement of symptoms.
Some patients find symptoms eased after they raised the head of their bed six to eight inches off the floor and began sleeping on the inclined mattress. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine lends credence to its reported effectiveness when paired with weight loss. The bed must be raised, however – just adding pillows is not sufficient. Other research shows sleeping on the left side of the body will also help reduce symptoms.
Experts also suggest GERD sufferers wear loose-fitting clothes around the waist and midsection, to give the stomach and digestive tract unrestricted room to move and breathe. Losing even a small amount of weight is also believed to ease or remove symptoms.
Patients should also not eat for at least two hours before bedtime. In particular, patients should not eat or drink foods high in acidic materials. These include milk and milk based products, which include high amounts of calcium and fat; foods high in Vitamin C such as oranges; cruciferous vegetables such as onions, spinach, and Brussels sprouts. They should also avoid chocolates and peppermint candies, as well as carbonated soft drinks. Smoking before bedtime also increases the risk of heartburn.
In some cases maintaining good posture will prevent spasms in the muscles around the esophagus that can trap stomach acid and gases. Good posture will also help reduce the coughing and asthma-like symptoms sometimes associated with acid reflux.
Some patients have also found relief from symptoms by frequently using chewing gum to increase the amount of saliva present in the mouth and esophagus. Others drink club soda or club soda mixed with Angostura bitters as a way to cure heartburn or nausea.
GERD and long-term complications
When left untreated or ignored, GERD can cause bleeding ulcers in the stomach and esophagus. It may also contribute to asthma and persistent cough.
In certain rare cases, GERD may lead to a condition known as Bartlett's Esophagus, in which the very lining of the esophagus changes into tissue more closely resembling the lining of the intestine. Bartlett's Esophagus patients are considered at a high risk for carcinoma.
Gastroesophageal reflux in children
Children with GER may not suffer heartburn symptoms but instead struggle with dry cough, asthma symptoms, or trouble swallowing. Babies and smaller children may also struggle with vomiting, constant crying, failure to gain wait, and incessant burping or belching.
Unfortunately, treatment of GERD is stymied somewhat because children may have all the symptoms of Gastroesophageal reflux or none at all: each set of symptoms is unique to the child. Complicating matters even more, some acid reflux is a normal occurrence in children, so identifying problem cases is especially difficult.
Parents helping their babies deal with GER can manage the babies' symptoms by burping them several times during each meal, keeping the child upright for a half hour after each feeding, and avoid giving too much food at one time. Parents should check the warning labels of all over the counter medications such as antacids or stomach soothers before giving them to children.
It's estimated that up to thirty-five percent of all children struggle with some degree of GER but outgrow it around their first birthday. Children struggling with chronic GERD may suffer with the problem into their teens. Parents who believe their children are suffering from excessive or chronic heartburn should consult their family pediatrician.
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse recommends older children with GERD eat smaller, more frequent meals and avoid the following in their diet: sodas with caffeine, peppermints, chocolate, spicy foods or foods high in acidic content such as oranges and lemons, and fried or fatty foods. Children should also have their last daily meal between two and three hours before going to bed, to give the stomach time to digest the food before lying down.
GERD in pregnant women
GERD is a common condition for pregnant women, as their body's systems adapt to the growing fetus inside them. Women who are pregnant can take antacids to treat GERD symptoms, but should consult their doctor before taking any more serious medications.
In most instances symptoms lessen or disappear entirely after the baby is born.
When to seek medical assistance
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is believed to be present whenever heartburn or other symptoms occur more than twice a week. Just the same, it's important for patients who find themselves at high risk to seek professional diagnosis. They may be able to catch symptoms in their early stages, making management of pain and discomfort that much easier.
This helpful article was brought to you by Corner Stork Baby Gifts at http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com. Corner Stork offers hundreds of baby gifts, baby shower favors, and many more helpful articles like this one on babies, parenting and pregnancy.
No comments:
Post a Comment