Condition

Indigestion / Heartburn GERD – Acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease) Information

Indigestion / Heartburn GERD – Acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

What is acid reflux? — Acid reflux is when the acid that is normally in your stomach backs up into the oesophagus, tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach (figure 1). Another term for acid reflux is "gastroesophageal reflux disease," or GERD.

What are the symptoms of acid reflux? — The symptoms include:

Burning in the chest, known as heartburn
Burning in the throat or an acid taste in the throat
Stomach or chest pain
Trouble swallowing
Having a raspy voice or a sore throat
Unexplained cough

Is there anything I can do on my own to improve my symptoms? — Yes. You might feel better if you:

Lose weight (if you are overweight)
Raise the head of your bed by 6 to 8 inches (for example, by putting blocks of wood or rubber under 2 legs of the bed or a Styrofoam wedge under the mattress)
Avoid foods that make your symptoms worse (examples include coffee, chocolate, alcohol, peppermint, and fatty foods)
Cut down on the amount of alcohol you drink
Stop smoking, if you smoke
Avoid lying down for 3 hours after a meal

What treatments can help with my acid reflux? — There are a few main types of medicines that can help with the symptoms of acid reflux: antacids, surface acting agents, histamine blockers, and proton pump inhibitors (table 1). All of these medicines work by reducing or blocking stomach acid. But they each do that in a different way.

Antacids and surface acting agents can relieve mild symptoms, but they work only for a short time. Histamine blockers are stronger and last longer than antacids and surface acting agents. You can buy antacids and most histamine blockers without a prescription.

Proton pump inhibitors are the most effective medicines in treating GERD. Some of these medicines are sold without a prescription. But there are other versions that your doctor or nurse can prescribe.

Sometimes acid reflux medicines are less expensive if you get them with a prescription. Other times nonprescription medicines are less expensive. If cost is a concern for you, ask your pharmacist how you might reduce the cost of your medicines.

Should I see a doctor or nurse about my acid reflux? — Some people can manage their acid reflux on their own by changing their habits or taking nonprescription medicines. But you should see a doctor or nurse if:

Your symptoms are severe or last a long time
You cannot seem to control your symptoms
You have had symptoms for many years

You should also see a doctor or nurse right away if you:

Have trouble swallowing, or feel as though food gets "stuck" on the way down
Lose weight when you are not trying to
Have chest pain
Choke when you eat
Vomit blood or have bowel movements that are red, black, or look like tar

What if my child or teenager has acid reflux? — If your child or teenager has acid reflux, take him or her to see a doctor or nurse. Do not give your child medicines to treat acid reflux without talking to a doctor or nurse.

In children, acid reflux can be caused by a number of problems. It's important to have a doctor or nurse check for these problems before trying any treatments.

Indigestion / Heartburn GERD – Acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

(Children and Adolescence)

What is acid reflux? — Acid reflux (also called "gastroesophageal reflux" or just "reflux") is when the acid that is normally in the stomach backs up into the esophagus (figure 1). The esophagus is the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

A small amount of acid reflux is normal. But if the reflux happens frequently, it can cause problems with the esophagus or lung infections (pneumonia). Reflux that has become more serious is called "gastroesophageal reflux disease," or GERD.

Children with certain health issues have a higher risk of getting reflux. These include children with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or other problems with the brain or spinal cord. Children who are overweight also are more likely to have reflux.

What are the symptoms of acid reflux? — The symptoms depend on the child’s age.

Preschool children with acid reflux might:

Vomit
Taste stomach acid in the mouth, or feel it in the throat
Not want to eat
Lose weight

Older children or adolescents with acid reflux might:

Taste stomach acid in the mouth, or feel it in the throat
Have an upset stomach
Feel burning in the chest (known as "heartburn")
Have trouble swallowing

Having symptoms like these once in a while is normal. If any of these symptoms happen more than once a week, this might be a sign of GERD.

Should my child see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. If you think your child might have acid reflux, talk to his or her doctor or nurse before you try any treatments. He or she can suggest ways to help relieve symptoms. He or she might also do tests to figure out if your child's symptoms are caused by reflux or something else.

Take your child to see a doctor or nurse right away if he or she:

Has trouble swallowing, or feels as though food gets "stuck" on the way down
Loses weight
Has chest pain
Chokes when he or she eats
Vomits blood

Is there anything I can do to help my child feel better? — Yes. There are some things that might help with acid reflux, depending on your child's age and symptoms. Your child's doctor or nurse might suggest that you:

Avoid giving your child foods that make symptoms worse (examples include chocolate, peppermint, and fatty foods)
Raise the head of your child's bed by 6 to 8 inches (for example, by putting blocks of wood or rubber under 2 legs of the bed or a Styrofoam wedge under the mattress). Do not raise the head of an infant's crib or bed.
Help your child to lose weight, if he or she is overweight (ask your child's doctor or nurse for advice on how to do this)
Keep your child away from cigarette smoke
Have your child avoid lying down for a few hours after a meal

How is acid reflux treated? — Most times, acid reflux symptoms can be treated with medicines. There are 3 main types of medicines that can help: antacids, histamine blockers, and proton pump inhibitors (table 1). All of these medicines work by reducing or blocking stomach acid. But they each do that in a different way:

Antacids can relieve mild symptoms, but they work only for a short time. You can buy them without a prescription. Children younger than school age should not take antacids.
Histamine blockers are stronger and last longer than antacids. You can also buy most histamine blockers without a prescription.
Proton pump inhibitors are the most effective medicines in treating GERD. You can buy some of these medicines without a prescription. But there are other versions that your child's doctor or nurse can prescribe.

If you child's doctor or nurse recommends a medicine, he or she will usually suggest that your child try the medicine for a few weeks first. Then if symptoms do not get better, the doctor or nurse might suggest a different medicine, or decide to do tests.

Talk to your child's doctor or nurse before you give your child any medicines for reflux.

A few children need surgery to treat their GERD. This is more likely in children who have a problem with the brain or spinal cord (such as cerebral palsy), and if the GERD is causing problems like pneumonia.

Indigestion / Heartburn GERD – Acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

During Pregnancy

What is acid reflux? — Acid reflux is when the acid that is normally in your stomach backs up into your esophagus (figure 1). The esophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Another term for acid reflux is "gastroesophageal reflux disease," or GERD.

Many women get acid reflux during pregnancy. Acid reflux usually gets worse over the course of the pregnancy. It usually goes away after the baby is born.

Women who have acid reflux in one pregnancy are likely to get it again in future pregnancies.

What are the symptoms of acid reflux during pregnancy? — The most common symptoms of acid reflux during pregnancy are:

Burning in the chest, known as heartburn
Burning in the throat or an acid taste in the mouth
Stomach or chest pain
Nausea or vomiting
Trouble swallowing
A raspy voice or sore throat
A cough

Will I need tests? — Probably not. Your doctor or nurse should be able to tell if you have it by talking with you and doing an exam.

Is there anything I can do on my own to improve my symptoms? — Yes. To help with your symptoms, you can:

Avoid lying down within 3 hours of eating.
Avoid eating within 3 hours of bedtime.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes.
Avoid foods that make your symptoms worse. Foods that commonly make acid reflux worse are coffee, cola, tea, citrus foods, chocolate, and fatty foods.
Raise the head of your bed by 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm). You can do this by putting blocks of wood or rubber under 2 legs of the bed or using a Styrofoam wedge under your pillow.

Are there treatments that can help reduce symptoms? — Yes. There are 4 main types of medicines that can reduce acid reflux symptoms. They are:

Antacids
Surface agents
Histamine blockers
Proton pump inhibitors

All of these medicines work by reducing or blocking stomach acid. But each of them does that in a different way (table 1).

Doctors usually recommend that pregnant women first try antacids to reduce their symptoms. Most antacids are considered safe in pregnancy, but some are not. If you are pregnant, do not take antacids that contain sodium bicarbonate and magnesium trisilicate. You can buy antacids without a prescription.

If antacids don't help enough, let your doctor or nurse know. He or she might recommend that you try a surface agent, histamine blocker, or proton pump inhibitor. These medicines work better than antacids to reduce symptoms. You can buy most histamine blockers and some proton pump inhibitors without a prescription.

Before you use any over-the-counter medicines for acid reflux, talk to your doctor or nurse. He or she can tell you which ones are safe to use during pregnancy.

When should I call my doctor or nurse? — Call your doctor or nurse if you:

Have severe heartburn or chest pain, or these symptoms don't get better with treatment
Have a fever, headache, nausea, or vomiting with your heartburn
Choke when you eat, have trouble swallowing, or feel like food is getting "stuck" on the way down your throat
Lose weight without trying
Vomit bright red blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
Have bowel movements that look like black tar