Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Acid reflux disease is a term that is often used to describe a feeling of discomfort or pain that occurs in the upper stomach after eating or drinking.
This disorder is also known as heartburn, indigestion, or dyspepsia.
The cause can be due to various things, such as injuries to the lining of the stomach, consumption of drinks and food that can irritate the stomach, stress, bacterial infections, or side effects of using drugs.
Stomach acid
| Medical specialist | Internal medicine specialist (gastroenterologist) |
| Symptom | Pain, burning/burning, discomfort in the upper abdomen, feeling full easily, excessive feeling of fullness after eating, nausea or vomiting, bloating |
| risk factor | Experience obesity; pregnancy; smoking habit; consumption of several types of drugs; history of diseases, such as GERD and gastritis |
| How to diagnose | Medical interview, physical examination, supporting examination (abdominal ultrasound, endoscopy, and breath test ) |
| Treatment | Lifestyle changes, drugs |
| Drug | antacids, H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), antibiotics |
| Complications | Structure of esophagus, pyloric stenosis, peritonitis, duct lining |
| When to see a doctor? | Severe abdominal pain, changes in bowel movements, frequent vomiting (especially if blood is streaked), bloody or dark stools, a lump in the stomach area, yellow eyes and skin, anemia |
Symptom
Some of the typical signs and symptoms of high stomach acid are:
- Pain, burning/burning, or discomfort in the upper abdomen (solar plexus)
- Feeling full easily when eating
- A feeling of fullness/excessive fullness after eating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Bloating
In addition, the following characteristics require special attention and must be evaluated immediately for the cause of increased stomach acid:
- Recurring complaints in those over 55 years of age
- Unexplained weight loss
- Difficulty swallowing
- Repeated vomiting
- Accompanied by iron deficiency anemia
- There is a lump in the abdominal area
- There is vomiting of blood or bloody bowel movements
Reason
The cause of stomach acid is generally related to the consumption of food or drink. For example, alcoholic drinks, caffeinated (coffee, tea, chocolate), or other drinks that contain soda.
Meanwhile, for food, the most common triggers are those that are high in fat and acid (such as oranges and tomatoes).
Certain types of food and drink are considered to trigger excess stomach acid production which then irritates the inner surface of the stomach.
Apart from food and drink, thoughts of stress and anxiety can also trigger stomach acid to rise.
Risk Factors
Several risk factors associated with the appearance of stomach acid symptoms are:
- Get obese
- Pregnancy
- Smoking habit
- Consumption of several classes of drugs, such as NSAIDS, antibiotics, and others
- Suffering from a history of diseases, such as gastritis, GERD, H. pylori infection, IBD, stomach ulcers, stomach cancer, and so on
Diagnosis
In determining the diagnosis of stomach acid disease, generally the doctor will conduct a medical interview to ask about the symptoms experienced.
Furthermore, a physical examination—especially an examination of the abdominal area—can also be carried out by a doctor.
If necessary, supporting examinations such as abdominal ultrasound, endoscopy, and breath tests (to assess H. pylori infection ) can also be carried out, and several other examination techniques.
Treatment
How to treat stomach acid depends on the cause and severity.
Some treatments that can be done at home include:
- Avoid risk factors that trigger stomach acid to rise, such as food and drinks that trigger symptoms, stop smoking, and so on
- Follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly
- Eat little but often
- Eat slowly
- Maintain ideal body weight
In addition, doctors can give certain medicines, such as:
- Antacids
- H2 blockers
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
- Antibiotics
Drug administration is adjusted to the symptoms and causes of stomach acid in the patient.
Prevention
Complaints of stomach acid disease can be prevented by living a healthy lifestyle. Suggestions for a good and correct diet should be used as a guide.
This includes eating on time, eating in moderation and in moderation, and choosing natural foods that are high in fiber and low in fat.
Apart from that, sufficient physical activity, regular exercise, adequate rest, and managing stress well are also very helpful in preventing stomach acid complaints.
Complications
In very rare cases, severe and persistent gastric acid can cause complications, such as:
- Structure of the esophagus, scar tissue in the digestive tract that causes difficulty swallowing and chest pain
- Pyloric stenosis, narrowing of the connection between the stomach and small intestine so that it cannot digest food properly
- In Peritonitis, the lining of the digestive tract is damaged and triggers an infection
When to See a Doctor?
Consider consulting a doctor if you experience the following symptoms:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Changes in bowel movements
- Frequent vomiting, especially with streaks of blood
- Stools with blood or dark stools
- Lump in the stomach area
- Unexplained weight loss
- Anemia
- Difficulty swallowing food
- Yellow eyes and skin
- Hard to breathe
- Chest pain that radiates to the jaw, arm, or neck