Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a chronic digestive condition characterized by a reflux of stomach contents and digestive fluid. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, many people experience gastroesophageal reflux occasionally and it does not always indicate GERD. If you experience reflux more than twice a week, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Physiology
Normally, when you swallow food, it travels from your esophagus into your stomach through an opening called the lower esophageal sphincter. This opening opens to allow food to pass and then closes to prevent food and stomach acid from flowing backwards up into the esophagus. If you have GERD, your lower esophageal sphincter does not function correctly. The sphincter muscles may be weak or they might not relax properly. As a result, stomach contents are able to travel from the stomach back into the esophagus where they irritate the esophageal lining.
Symptoms
One of the most common symptoms of GERD is heartburn, which is characterized by a burning sensation in the chest that can radiate to the throat. You may also experience a sour taste in your mouth, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, dry cough and acid reflux, which is a backflow of food or liquid. GERD can also make you feel as though there is a lump in your throat that will not go away.
Trigger Foods
Although you may experience symptoms of GERD after most meals, certain foods commonly cause symptoms. These foods, which are referred to as trigger foods, should be identified in your diet and avoided as much as possible. Common trigger foods include fatty foods, fried foods, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, mint, garlic, onions, tomatoes, tomato sauce, full-fat dairy products, spicy foods, citrus fruit and carbonated beverages.
Eating Schedule
It may also be beneficial to consume a number of small meals throughout the course of the day, rather than three large meals. This can decrease the volume of food that is in your stomach at once and the amount of stomach acid you produce and may help reduce the severity of symptoms.
Lying down after a meal can worsen the symptoms of GERD. When you eat a meal, you should remain in an upright position for two to three hours, according to MayoClinic.com. You should plan your meals so that they do not fall within two to three hours of bedtime.
