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What is Acid Reflux Disease?
By Jeff Lakie
Acid reflux disease, also known as Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease,
or GERD, is a common ailment, affecting between 5%-7% of the
population. In order to understand what GERD is it is important to be
familiar with how the esophagus works. A long muscular tube, the
esophagus carries food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach. The
average adult esophagus is around ten to thirteen inches long and
approximately an half an inch in diameter. GERD is caused by the
backflow of acid from the stomach into the esophagus, usually because
the lower esophageal sphincter does not close properly. When this
happens over a long period of time, the lining of this tract becomes
eroded, causing discomfort and pain.
Symptoms of the disease are fairly straightforward and are very similar
to the symptoms of heartburn. GERD often include a frequent burning
sensation, right behind the breastbone, which sometimes worsens when
lying down for extended periods of time. While most cases of heartburn
turn out to be non-life threatening, it is important that you visit your doctor
at the onset of symptoms. Unfortunately, the symptoms of both
indigestion and GERD can also imitate those of heart disease, so it is
very important that you seek medical attention to make sure that you get
the correct diagnosis.
There are a number of medical tests which your doctor can perform
which will confirm the diagnosis of GERD. After your doctor or
healthcare professional has taken your medical history, he or she will
most likely conduct an test using an Endoscope, a long flexible imaging
instrument. This will allow the doctor to visibly exam your esophagus.
If you are diagnosed with Acid Reflux disease, there are a number of
treatment options available to you, such as making changes to your diet,
reducing stress, and taking over the counter antacids. Serious cases of
GERD may require a prescription drug to reduce the acid being
produced by your stomach, but lifestyle changes are often enough to
control symptoms successfully.
About the Author
Jeff Lakie is the owner of Occasional Heartburn,
a website dedicated to matching consumers with acid reflux help.
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/5222.html
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