As the body digests food, the valve at the bottom of the esophagus plays an important role. This valve or sphincter is responsible for keeping the contents of the stomach where they’re at instead of allowing substances from the stomach to flow up into the esophagus. When there is a problem with the valve, acid can flow back into the esophagus and cause acid reflux. Frequent acid reflux can be diagnosed as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Common symptoms of acid reflux include heartburn, regurgitation, and dyspepsia. Dyspepsia is a feeling of discomfort in the stomach. This can be accompanied by symptoms of burping, nausea after eating, stomach fullness or bloating, and upper abdominal pain and discomfort. It should be very clear--acid reflux is not enjoyable in any way!
Acid reflux can be caused by a number of factors:
- Stomach abnormalities
- Pregnancy
- Smoking
- Being overweight or obese
- Lying down after a heavy meal
- Eating too close to bedtime
- Certain medications
- Some foods and drinks
- Alcohol
- Carbonated beverages
- Chocolate
- Citrus fruits
- Coffee
- Tea
- Fatty or fried foods
- Tomato-based foods
- Garlic and onions
- Mint
- Spicy foods
Your diet has a significant impact on your body’s acid production and retention. Be sure to not overeat as this can place pressure on the valve muscle, causing acid to flow back into the esophagus. It can also be helpful to follow a low-carb diet, avoid raw onion, eat less chocolate, limit your mint intake, and not eat too close to bedtime.
There are several liquids that can increase acid reflux. Because of this, it is best to limit your intake of alcohol, coffee, carbonated beverages, and citrus juice. Other tips for reducing or preventing acid reflux are to maintain a healthy body weight, chew gum, elevate the head of your bed, and don’t sleep on your right side.
If lifestyle changes do not improve acid reflux, then medical intervention may be necessary. A less invasive treatment option is medication. There are a few types of medication that may improve acid reflux. These are antacids, histamine blockers, proton pump inhibitors, and prokinetic agents. Most of these medications help to suppress acid production and secretion, and some can even help to heal esophageal damage from erosion.
Other treatment options for acid reflux include transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF), laparoscopic surgery, and invasive surgery. With TIF, doctors are able to repair or recreate the valve below the esophagus by using a TIF device that creates a passageway for an endoscope, which is a tube-like imaging instrument. If surgery is necessary, the goal is to strengthen the antireflux barrier. Nissen fundoplication is a type of surgery where the upper part of the stomach gets wrapped around the lower esophagus.