Health Information GERD: Controlling heartburn by changing your habits
GERD: Controlling heartburn by changing your habits
Introduction
Key Points
Symptoms of
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be painful
and, if allowed to continue, can lead to complications including esophagitis.
Esophagitis is irritation or inflammation of the esophagus.
You
can make changes to your lifestyle to help relieve your symptoms of GERD. Here
are some things to try:
Change your eating habits.
It's best to eat several small meals
instead of two or three large meals.
After you eat, wait 2 to 3
hours before you lie down. Late-night snacks aren't a good
idea.
Chocolate, mint, and alcohol can make GERD worse. They relax
the valve between the esophagus and the stomach.
Spicy foods, foods
that have a lot of acid (like tomatoes and oranges), and coffee can make GERD
symptoms worse in some people. If your symptoms are worse after you eat a
certain food, you may want to stop eating that food to see if your symptoms get
better.
Do not smoke or chew tobacco.
If
you have GERD symptoms at night, raise the head of your bed
6 in. (15 cm) to
8 in. (20 cm) by putting the
frame on blocks or placing a foam wedge under the head of your mattress.
(Adding extra pillows does not work.)
Do not wear tight clothing
around your middle. Lose weight if you need to. Losing just 5 to 10 pounds can
help.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the abnormal backflow, or reflux, of
stomach acid and juices into the
esophagus. The esophagus is the tube that leads from
the throat to the stomach.
GERD occurs when the valve
between the lower end of the esophagus and the stomach (the
lower esophageal sphincter) does not close tightly
enough. When this valve is not closed all the way, the contents of the stomach
can move back (or reflux) into the esophagus. The main symptom of GERD is a
frequent uncomfortable feeling of burning, warmth, heat, or pain just behind
the breastbone, and it is commonly referred to as
heartburn. Overeating or bending forward after eating
sometimes causes heartburn and a sour taste in the mouth. Occasional heartburn
does not mean you have GERD. In GERD, the reflux-and heartburn-last longer and
occur more often.
Treatment for GERD is aimed at reducing reflux
of stomach acid and juices into the esophagus. Treatment can prevent injury to
the lining of the esophagus or help the esophagus heal if injury has already
occurred. Preventing GERD from recurring and preventing other complications of
GERD are also treatment goals.
Test Your Knowledge
Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
are the same thing.
Although changes to your lifestyle probably will not cure
your gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), they can provide some relief from
symptoms and make you more comfortable. Heartburn, the main symptom of GERD,
can cause significant pain and discomfort during the day, keeping you from
being productive at work and from leading an active life at home. Changes to
your lifestyle that reduce GERD symptoms can help you stay focused at your job
and make other activities more enjoyable.
In addition to
discomfort during the day, GERD symptoms can keep you awake at night and can
affect your sleep in the long term. Changing your sleeping position and habits
can help you avoid GERD symptoms at night, allowing you to sleep better.
GERD symptoms that go untreated or persist despite treatment can turn
into more serious problems. GERD can cause irritation, inflammation, or wearing
away (erosion) of the lining of the esophagus (esophagitis), as well as
crater-shaped sores (ulcers) in the lining of the esophagus. Some people who
have symptoms of GERD may develop a condition called
Barrett's esophagus that can lead to cancer of the
esophagus.
Test Your Knowledge
Making lifestyle changes will not have any effect on
your GERD symptoms.
There are many changes you can make to your lifestyle that can help to
relieve or reduce symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). These are
some suggestions.
Quitting tobacco use
If you smoke or chew tobacco,
stop. The nicotine from tobacco relaxes the valve between the esophagus and
stomach (lower esophageal sphincter). This can allow stomach acid and juices,
the chemicals that break down food in the stomach, to back up (reflux) into the
esophagus, which causes heartburn.
Because the nicotine in tobacco
is addicting, stopping the use of tobacco is more difficult than simply
changing a habit. Those who successfully quit using tobacco usually use a
combination of strategies that may include:
Professional counseling, either by telephone
or in person.
The use of medicines, to help overcome the addiction
to nicotine.
Participation in a proven smoking cessation
program.
Having a support group of peers who are also quitting or who do
not smoke.
Using more than one of these strategies greatly improves
your chances of successfully quitting. Quitting tobacco use may require several
attempts.
Developing healthier
eating habits, losing weight if necessary, and avoiding foods that increase
symptoms of GERD may make heartburn less likely to occur. Take your spouse or
partner along with you when you go to your doctor to discuss diet habits. It
will be easier to make changes in your diet if your family understands what you
need to do and why.
Changes you may want to make include avoiding
chocolate, peppermint, and alcohol. These can all make GERD worse by relaxing
the valve between the esophagus and the stomach. It also may be a good idea to
eat smaller, more frequent meals.
If you are overweight, lose
weight. Being overweight puts additional pressure on your stomach and increases
the likelihood of heartburn occurring. Losing just 5 to 10 pounds can
help.
Certain foods can be associated with reflux. Though they
will not cause GERD, eating these foods can make the symptoms worse, and
avoiding them can help reduce heartburn. These include citrus fruits, fatty and
fried foods, garlic and onions, spicy foods, and tomato-based foods like
spaghetti sauce and pizza. Some people notice that their symptoms get worse
after drinking coffee or soda. If you notice that your symptoms are worse after
eating a specific food, you may want to stop eating it and see if your symptoms
get better.
Reducing pressure on your stomach
Putting pressure
on your stomach may push stomach juices into your esophagus, causing heartburn.
Some ways to reduce heartburn include the following:
After you eat, wait 2 to 3 hours before you
lie down. Late-night snacks aren't a good idea. When you are lying down, the
contents of your stomach can push against the valve between the esophagus and
stomach (lower esophageal sphincter). Sitting up allows gravity to help food
and stomach juices from the esophagus drain back into your stomach.
Avoid tight clothing over your stomach. Tight belts,
waistbands, or panty hose may push against your stomach and make your heartburn
worse.
Use care when lifting and bending. Bending over tends to
increase the amount of stomach acid that can get into your esophagus. When
lifting, bend at the knees to avoid bending over at the waist.
Improving sleep position and habits
Raising the
head of your bed 6 in. (15 cm)
to 8 in. (20 cm) will help keep
stomach acid from flowing into your esophagus when you are sleeping. You can do
this by putting blocks underneath your bed frame or by placing a foam wedge
under the head of your mattress. Using extra pillows will not work.
Lying down soon after eating will also increase the chance of getting
heartburn. After you eat, wait 2 to 3 hours before you lie down. Late-night
snacks aren't a good idea.
The nicotine from tobacco relaxes the valve
between the esophagus and stomach (lower esophageal sphincter). This can allow
stomach acid and juices, the chemicals that break down food in the stomach, to
back up (reflux) into the esophagus, which causes heartburn.
The nicotine from tobacco relaxes the valve
between the esophagus and stomach (lower esophageal sphincter). This can allow
stomach acid and juices, the chemicals that break down food in the stomach, to
back up (reflux) into the esophagus, which causes heartburn.
Now that you have read this
information, you can begin to make some lifestyle changes to relieve your GERD
symptoms. If you have any questions about these changes or need help making
them, contact your doctor.
If you would like more information about GERD, the
following resources are available:
Organizations
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
(NDDIC)
2 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3570
Phone:
1-800-891-5389
Fax:
(703) 738-4929
E-mail:
nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Web Address:
www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov
This clearinghouse is a service of the U.S. National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the
U.S. National Institutes of Health. The clearinghouse answers questions;
develops, reviews, and sends out publications; and coordinates information
resources about digestive diseases. Publications produced by the clearinghouse
are reviewed carefully for scientific accuracy, content, and readability.
American College of
Gastroenterology
P.O. Box 342260
Bethesda, MD 20827-2260
Phone:
(301) 263-9000
Web Address:
www.acg.gi.org
The American College of Gastroenterology is an organization of
digestive disease specialists. The Web site contains information about common
gastrointestinal problems.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
