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Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease Remedy

You’ve just eaten a big meal and are starting to relax when suddenly your chest begins to hurt like it’s on fire. Approximately one in 10 adults has heartburn at least once a week and one in three has it monthly. The condition has nothing to do with the heart, but should symptoms occur twice or more a week over three months, what you probably have is GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), or acid reflux disease. Acid reflux occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve separating the esophagus and stomach) does not close fully, allowing acid to back up into the esophagus, causing heartburn.

If left untreated, GERD can be a problem because, over time, the stomach acid will corrode the tissue lining the esophagus, causing pain and inflammation. Longlasting untreated GERD can lead to permanent damage of the esophagus, and sometimes even cancer. GERD can also cause irreversible loss of tooth enamel. Checking for GERD in children with dental erosion, one study found no child without GERD, experienced loss of tooth enamel.

People of all ages are susceptible to GERD but elderly patients tend to have a more serious condition.
For women, their first experience with heartburn often occurs during as a result of hormonal changes and pressure from the growing fetus. Over 50 per cent pregnant women experience heartburn.

Studies indicate that 31- 43 per cent of reflux may be hereditary, especially in the case of Barrett’s Esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition caused by very severe GERD.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a common cause of peptic ulcers, may also cause or aggravate GERD. A 3-year study showed NSAID users were twice as likely to have GERD.

Changing their diet helped 44 per cent of GERD patients in a test group. Eat smaller portions and reduce weight to avoid intraabdominal pressure exerted by extra pounds. Limit fatty foods, chocolate, peppermint, coffee, tea, colas, tobacco and alcohol — all of which relax the lower esophageal sphincter. Avoid tomatoes and citrus fruits or juices, which increase acid that irritates the esophagus.

Nearly threequarters of patients with frequent GERD symptoms experience them at night with pain levels as severe as for angina and heart failure. Eat meals three to    four hours before retiring and avoid bedtime snacks. Raise the head of your bed by six inches to allow gravity to keep the stomach’s contents in the stomach. (Do not use piles of pillows because this contorts your body, increasing pressure on the abdomen.)

Occasionally GERD will cause unusual symptoms like an unexplained cough, asthma, or laryngitis. In one study, GERD accounted for 41.1 per cent of chronic cough in non-smoking patients. The incidence is even higher for asthma where reflux disorder coincides with 32- 80 per cent of cases.

I remember the case of a 25 year old man who approached us with a cough and sore throat which was not responding to cough syrups and antibiotics. We treated him for heartburn with Arsenic album 30 and his cough disappeared.

Homeopathic remedies for GERD

• Robinia 6c, 5 pills twice daily for heartburn due to GERD

• Nux vom 30c, 5 pills every evening for GERD caused or intensified by NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Written by James · Filed Under Health 

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