Reflux acid reflux treatment. Acid reflux

Acid reflux - This is the process of throwing food from the stomach into the esophagus. There is an acidic environment in the stomach, and the gastric mucosa has a structure that protects itself from the effects of acids, but in the esophagus there is no such membrane, and acids irritate it, leading to inflammation, erosion, ulcers, with a feeling strong burning sensation which is called heartburn.

Acid Reflux Symptoms

Very often, people with acid reflux suffer not only from heartburn, pain in the chest, in the throat, and sometimes facial pain are common symptoms of reflux. If a person suffers from acid reflux long enough, the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach becomes very inflamed from constant irritation from the acid, and the person has great difficulty swallowing. solid food, passing through the inflamed sphincter, it further injures it.

As a rule, the reflux of acid into the esophagus occurs not only while awake, but also when a person takes horizontal position. Typically, when a person eats, the sphincter at the lower esophagus widens to allow food to pass through and then contracts to prevent the backflow of food. If the sphincter malfunctions, reverse reflux of food becomes possible, and as a result, the esophagus is damaged. There are many reasons besides this that contribute to acid reflux: overuse alcohol, smoking, fatty foods, caffeinated drinks, too large portions and whole line concomitant diseases. Many people can control and get rid of heartburn by changing their lifestyle and eating habits. But in modern conditions You should not self-medicate; it is extremely important to consult a doctor in time so that the cause of reflux is identified and the correct treatment is prescribed.

If you have symptoms such as strong pain in the chest, vomiting, vomiting blood, black stools, difficulty eating and drinking, you should consult a doctor immediately. Any delay in this case can lead to dire consequences.

Acid Reflux Treatment

Typically, with proper care, all symptoms acid reflux can be minimized. It is necessary to follow the diet prescribed by your doctor and not eat 2-3 hours before bedtime. This reduces the level of acid in the stomach. You need to sleep with your head elevated top part bodies. Meals should be fractional, portions should be small, the time interval between them should be short. Fatty foods, foods containing acids such as citrus fruits, and caffeine should be avoided. You should avoid drinking alcohol and smoking, and avoid taking medications that stimulate acid reflux.

All medications that can be purchased over the counter from a pharmacy for heartburn should be treated with caution, as they have unnecessary side effects. That is, you cannot overeat uncontrollably, constantly suffer from heartburn and extinguish it with a pill. In the end, this will be very harmful, since such drugs do not cure the disease, but simply remove the symptoms. Wherein acid reflux will progress, the esophagus will erode, which can even lead to surgical intervention.

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What is reflux?

The full medical name for this phenomenon is gastroesophageal reflux disease, but for simplicity it is often called reflux or heartburn. In reflux, the acid released by the stomach as it digests food and drinks travels up the throat (esophagus). Reflux can develop at any age, even in children. Fortunately, in most cases, the patient, together with the doctor, is able to identify trigger factors.

Symptoms

The most common symptom is belching, immediately followed by an unpleasant acidic taste in the mouth and a burning sensation in the throat and chest. Other non-burning symptoms include a dry cough, asthma, and difficulty swallowing. Less common symptoms include excessive salivation and persistent bleeding.

What are the causes of reflux?

Reflux is caused by weakening of the muscles at the end of the throat. They don't squeeze tightly enough, allowing acid to enter the esophagus.

Diagnostics

First, your doctor will discuss your symptoms with you. The fact is that not every episode of reflux necessarily means the presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease. In some cases testing may be required. It will include:

Ambulatory acidity test (pH): In this procedure, the acidity in the stomach is measured over a 24-hour period. The doctor inserts a small, thin tube into your throat through your nose, which is connected to a small computer strapped to your waist. Another option is a small sensor placed in the throat that transmits a signal for a certain period of time. After 2 days it disappears and is excreted from the body along with feces.
X-ray: X-ray allows us to study top part digestive system(throat, stomach and upper section intestines.) To do this, you will be asked to swallow a chalky contrast agent. It covers the walls digestive tract, allowing you to get a clearer image.
Endoscopy: In this procedure, a small, thin tube similar to the one used in an acidity test is inserted inside. However, here at its end there is a camera through which the doctor examines the upper part of the tract. In addition, as part of the same procedure, a tissue sample can be taken from the wall of one of the organs for subsequent study in the laboratory.
Esophageal motility test (manometry): This test measures esophageal mobility and pressure. To do this, a thin small tube is inserted down the throat.

Is it possible to prevent development?

There are many lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of developing reflux. These include avoiding overeating, alcohol, spicy, fatty or sour foods, eating heavily before bed, having excess weight and wearing tight clothing. Avoiding these triggers can greatly improve your quality of life.

Treatment

Mild symptoms may not require treatment. Ask your doctor if he recommends medication to treat your symptoms. In general, over-the-counter medications are quite effective in providing relief for mild cases of reflux. Such drugs include:

Antacids: These are fast acting medicines, reducing the level of acidity in the stomach. Unfortunately, antacids alone are not enough to repair the damage stomach acid causes to your throat. In addition, sometimes their excessive consumption can lead to diarrhea and constipation.
H-2 receptor blockers: These drugs reduce the production Gastric acid. They do not act as quickly as antacids, but at the same time provide a more sustainable (up to 12 hours) result. More powerful versions of these drugs are available with a doctor's prescription.
Proton pump inhibitors: These remedies simultaneously block acid production and heal the damage caused to the throat. They are stronger than H-2 receptor blockers.

If you don't feel relief after a couple of weeks, call your doctor right away for a prescription for a stronger version of a proton pump inhibitor or H-2 blocker. In addition, your doctor may prescribe medications to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter, which reduces the number of muscle contractions. They are often used for severe cases of reflux. TO side effects include fatigue and confusion. Sometimes, depending on the severity of the patient’s condition, the doctor decides to combine several drugs.

IN in rare cases is being considered surgery. Usually, we're talking about about situations when drug treatment did not bear fruit, or if the patient seeks a long-term solution to the problem. To the main types surgical intervention relate:

Nissen fundoplication: As part of this operation, the lower muscle esophagus. In this case, the surgeon wraps the uppermost part of the stomach around the outer part lower section esophagus. This operation is performed laparoscopically. This means that 3-4 incisions are made in the abdomen, through which instruments and a camera are inserted inside.
LINX operation: This operation strengthens the muscles of the esophagus. A special device - Linx - is a ring consisting of titanium balls. The doctor screws the ring onto the area between the stomach and esophagus. The magnetic attraction of the balls is enough to close the hole and prevent acid from entering the throat. At the same time, the force of magnetic attraction is not enough to prevent the passage of food. This operation is minimally invasive and has been approved as an effective and safe solution in many countries around the world.

Living with a disorder

Reflux can significantly reduce quality of life. Part of the solution to this problem is planning and knowing the main triggers. Making changes to your diet and lifestyle can also improve your overall quality of life. For example, if you know that eating before bed causes reflux, just don't do it. If you are unable to avoid a particular trigger, take an over-the-counter remedy right away to relieve symptoms. If you've tried everything (including diet and lifestyle changes) and still haven't found relief, see your doctor.

Questions to ask your doctor

Why certain products sometimes cause reflux and sometimes not?
Is the predisposition to reflux hereditary?
Can the throat recover from the damage over time if the situation is kept under control?
Does pregnancy affect the risk of developing reflux?

Today, many people are interested in the question of what acid reflux is. Unfortunately, this disorder is considered quite common. So why does it happen? What symptoms does it accompany? Which effective methods are there treatments?

What is acid reflux?

Severe heartburn, chest pain - many patients come to the doctor with these complaints. And after examination and diagnosis, many patients develop additional questions about what acid reflux is.

It's no secret that the presence there creates an acidic environment. Gastric juice is aggressive for the esophagus. Therefore, normally these two sections are delimited by the lower esophageal sphincter, which ensures the unidirectional movement of food masses.

In some cases, there is a violation of the normal tone of the sphincter. As a result, the reverse reflux of food from the stomach into the esophagus is possible. This is how the condition known in medicine as esophageal-gastric reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, develops.

Main causes of violation

In most cases the reasons similar violation are pathological changes stomach and esophagus. In addition, the same symptoms are accompanied. In some cases, reverse reflux of gastric contents into the lumen of the esophagus is associated with neurological diseases.

On the other hand, there are some risk factors, the presence of which increases the likelihood of developing acid reflux. First of all, to the list possible reasons worth turning on Not proper nutrition. For example, quite often reflux is associated with constant overeating, which causes overstretching of the stomach walls. The work of the digestive system is negatively affected by heavy consumption of food at night, the habit of lying down after eating, as well as the abuse of foods such as tomatoes, garlic, chocolate, citrus fruits, onions, spicy, fatty and fried foods. Naturally, obesity is also a risk factor.

Statistics show that today many pregnant women are interested in the question of what acid reflux is. After all, the growing fetus causes displacement internal organs, which often leads to the return of food. Smoking and alcohol abuse are also risk factors. In some cases, reflux develops while taking muscle relaxants, as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Acid reflux: symptoms

Of course, gastric juice acts extremely aggressively on the walls of the esophagus, damaging them, which leads to the appearance of discomfort. The main symptoms of reflux include persistent heartburn, as well as a feeling of acidity or bitterness in the mouth. Many patients also complain of a feeling of heat and discomfort along the esophagus. Patients often experience attacks of nausea and hiccups.

Due to power problems, it is possible sudden loss weight. Violated normal process swallowing liquid and solid food. Patients often report abdominal bloating and unpleasant belching. The presence of melena or black stool indicates bleeding from the walls of the esophagus. Because of constant heartburn are developing chronic pain in the throat. Signs of reflux also include a dry cough and shortness of breath.

Modern diagnostic methods

Of course, at the slightest deterioration in health, you should consult a specialist. Only a doctor can diagnose acid reflux. The patient’s symptoms and complaints should suggest the presence of such a disorder, but in the future it is necessary accurate diagnosis, which will help determine the severity of the disease, the cause of its development and the extent of damage to the digestive tract.

In particular, endoscopy of the esophagus and stomach is performed first. During the examination, you can notice the presence of inflammation and erosive areas in the lower part of the esophagus. Subsequently, its manometry is performed, which makes it possible to evaluate the contractility of its wall. It is also important to determine the acidity gastric juice. using contrast agent(barium suspension) makes it possible to assess the condition of the walls of the esophagus. In some cases, the patient is additionally prescribed a biopsy. Such a study helps to assess the extent of the lesion, determine the presence of infection of the damaged areas, and also calculate the risk of malignant tissue degeneration.

What treatments are used?

Of course, only a doctor can diagnose acid reflux. Treatment in this case is selected individually depending on the causes and severity of the patient’s condition, as well as the degree of damage to the walls of the esophagus.

First of all, the doctor will prescribe drugs that neutralize the effects of hydrochloric acid. In particular, patients take antacid medications for heartburn (Alugastrin, Gasterin, Rennie, Tums), which help relieve the main symptoms. In addition, antagonists are used in treatment histamine receptors, which block the processes of hydrochloric acid secretion by stomach cells. In particular, the drugs Ranitidine, Cimetidine, Lafutidine and some others are considered quite effective. Sometimes patients are recommended to take medications that normalize the motility of the digestive tract, for example, Motilium, Motilak, Cerucal and some others.

In addition to the medications, proper nutrition is included. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to eliminate acid reflux with the help of medications and diet. Treatment in particularly severe cases is carried out surgically. For example, some patients are indicated for fundoplication, a plastic correction of the gastric inlet. If there is a diaphragmatic hernia, surgery is performed to suture the esophageal opening.

Proper nutrition for reflux

Of course, a diet for reflux is extremely important, as it helps relieve the main symptoms and normalize the functioning of the digestive system. First of all, patients are advised to eat more often, but in small portions. The last meal should be no later than three hours before bedtime.

You should exclude coffee, chocolate, spices, spicy, fried and fatty foods, as well as overly acidic foods. Apricots, peaches and pumpkin, which have natural antacid properties, will have a positive effect on the functioning of the stomach. Honey, baked tomatoes and bananas reduce the acidity of gastric juice. The menu should include cereals, in particular rice, oats, and millet. It's better to give preference low-fat varieties meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit) and fish. By the way, it is advisable to cook them by steaming or in the oven.

Acid reflux is a digestive disorder that is characterized by a burning sensation in the upper part of the peritoneum, spreading to the esophagus and mouth.

This occurs as a result of weakening of the lower sphincter of the esophagus, due to which the acids involved in the digestive processes enter its upper part.

The pain that accompanies acid reflux may be varying degrees intensity. Sometimes they become so strong that patients are able to confuse the symptoms of reflux with signs of myocardial infarction.

Concerning main causes of acid reflux, then first of all it is necessary to note wrong combination products and too rich and filling food.

It also happens that acid reflux becomes the result of abnormalities in the structure of the esophagus and various diseases digestive organs.

Although this problem does not pose a serious threat to our health and tends to appear sporadically, it is very important to take reflux treatment seriously. This will avoid the development of a number of complications.

If you want to defeat this problem in the bud, you need to exclude from your diet foods that can complicate the course of the disease.

In our article today, we'll tell you about 7 foods that those of us who suffer from acid reflux should avoid.

1. Red meat

Red meat is important source proteins, therefore in small quantities it can benefit our health.

Despite this, people suffering from acid reflux are advised to avoid red meat. This is explained by the fact that many trace elements contained in it can complicate the course of this disease.

Purines and acids in red meat disrupt digestive processes, increasing the production of acidic gastric juices.
On the other hand, such meat contains a large number of fats that can slow down our digestion and lead to constipation.

2. Coffee

Coffee has pleasant taste and quickly fills us with energy. That is why it is one of the most popular drinks all over the world.

But if you suffer from acid reflux, it is better to avoid this drink. The fact is that caffeine can be a factor provoking attacks of this disorder.

Caffeine relaxes the valves that restrict the movement of gastric juices, making it easier for them to enter the mouth and esophagus.

3. Sausages and canned food

Meat products and canned food can also cause various disorders digestion. This is especially true for those of us who regularly suffer from acid reflux and heartburn.

These foods contain high amounts of sodium and artificial additives, which cause irritation of the gastric mucosa. As a result, gastric juice enters the esophagus more easily.
In addition, sausages and canned food contain unhealthy fats, flour and sugars. When these substances are absorbed by our body, we begin to worry about metabolic disorders and digestive problems.

4. Hot spices

The use of hot spices can also negatively affect gastric juices. In some cases, they can irritate the stomach lining.

Although Moderate use of such spices usually does not cause problems, in some people, such foods lead to acid reflux and heartburn.

That is why it is recommended to minimize the use of such spices. This is especially true when they are combined with other products that can provoke an attack of heartburn.

5. Chocolate

A small amount of chocolate a day can fill our body with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that have a beneficial effect on our health.

As for acid reflux, in the latter case it is better to avoid chocolate. It can irritate the digestive organs.

If we have heartburn but continue to eat chocolate, the lower valve of the esophagus weakens even more, causing reflux symptoms to become even more intense.
This is due to the presence of substances in chocolate such as fats, caffeine and theobromine. They stimulate the production of acids in the stomach.

6. Fried

Fried foods, and especially processed foods, are serious enemies of our metabolism and digestion.

The consumption of such products increases the production of acids and leads to more frequent attacks of reflux and gastritis.
In addition, abuse of such foods can cause inflammatory processes in our body, thus increasing the pressure on the stomach cavity.

7. Refined flour

Bread, pastries and other refined flour products can aggravate this type of digestive disorder.

Thanks to them, an acidic environment is created in the stomach and esophagus and inflammatory processes occur in the tissues.
Such carbohydrates are difficult for our body to digest and can increase blood glucose levels.
That is why it is recommended to minimize the consumption of such foods. This will reduce the risk of developing diseases such as ulcers and gastritis.

If these foods are present in your diet and you are concerned about acid reflux, it is best to eliminate them from your diet.

Please keep in mind that although there is medicines To treat heartburn, it is best to combat this problem naturally by eating a healthy diet.

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Acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD) is a condition of reflux of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus against the physiological direction of movement of digestive secretions.

For the esophagus, the acidic environment of the stomach is aggressive, causing damage to the epithelium and the development of inflammation. IN normal conditions The esophagus is closed by the lower esophageal sphincter from the stomach, which relaxes when food or liquid is swallowed. Under pathological conditions, disturbances in the tone of the esophagus and its insufficient closure may occur, which creates the preconditions for the reflux of stomach contents into the esophageal cavity. Due to the action of hydrochloric acid and active enzymes, the walls of the esophagus are damaged - a burning sensation and pain in the sternum, heartburn occurs. Regular occurrence of heartburn and reflux is considered gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Causes

One of the most common reasons Acid reflux is considered a pathology of the stomach, esophagus, and neurological disorders.

In the development of acid reflux, there are several risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing the disease. These include:

overeating with overstretching of the stomach walls;
lying down after a heavy meal with a change in the position of the stomach;
plenty of food at night, before bedtime;
eating while lying down;
abuse of citrus fruits, tomatoes, chocolate, garlic and onions, spicy, fatty foods;
pregnancy;
smoking;
taking muscle relaxants;
taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, blood pressure medications.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of acid reflux are formed due to the reflux of acidic stomach contents and irritation of the walls of the esophagus. These include:

heartburn, burning behind the sternum, feeling of heat and discomfort along the esophagus, up to the throat and mouth;
a feeling of bitterness or acidity in the mouth due to regurgitation;
, belching;
feeling of difficulty swallowing solid or liquid food ();
bouts of hiccups;
nausea;
weight loss;
melena or black stool (cases of bleeding from the walls of the esophagus);
, attacks of dry cough, chronic.

Diagnostic methods

The basis of diagnosis is the presence of typical complaints, the diagnosis is supplemented by instrumental studies:

endoscopy of the esophagus and stomach with detection of erosions and inflammation in lower third esophagus;
esophageal manometry (determining the contractility of the lower third of the esophagus);
transesophageal pH-metry of the esophagus with determination of the composition of gastric juice during the day;
a biopsy of the esophagus is necessary to determine the extent of the lesion, possible infection or malignant degeneration;
X-ray examination with barium suspension, determination of the condition of the esophagus.

Treatment methods

Treatment consists of three successive stages:

diet and lifestyle changes, giving up trigger foods and drinks, quitting smoking, changing your sleeping position;
drug therapy, prescription of heartburn medications, antacids that neutralize excess acid in the stomach. Film preparations are also used that create a membrane in the stomach that prevents reflux. The prescription of histamine receptor antagonists is supplemented - they block the secretion of acid by stomach cells. Proton pump inhibitors are used and they also block the production of acid by the stomach. Sometimes drugs that regulate gastric motility are prescribed, accelerating the passage of food from the stomach to the intestines;
If they are ineffective, it is indicated surgery reflux – fundoplication, plastic surgery of the gastric inlet or surgery to suture a hiatal hernia.

The prognosis for timely recognition of the disease is favorable. In advanced cases it is possible scar strictures esophagus.