Long term implications of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD); what are the risks involved?

The impact of untreated GERD

Have you ever experienced a painful burning sensation in the chest or regurgitated food or sour liquid? If yes, then it's probably a mild heartburn or a short term digestive disorder, which could go away on its own. However, if you experience the same on a daily basis and overlook the signs, it could lead to uncontrolled heartburn, which is a common sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.

What is GERD? How to identify it early?

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder that occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), that contains the food and acids inside the stomach, does not function properly. The LES or the ring of muscles normally remains closed and keeps the top of the stomach covered. Only when you're swallowing a food, it relaxes and opens, allowing the food to pass through.

GERD occurs when the LES opens even when you're not swallowing anything, allowing the stomach's content and digestive acids to flow back into the ring that connects the mouth and the stomach called the esophagus, causing irritation.

The tell-tale sign of GERD is acid reflux or heartburn. However, it is not serious until you experience the symptoms more than twice a week.

Other symptoms include:

- Nausea

- Vomiting

- Difficulty swallowing

- Bad breath

- Chest pain

- Sore throat or hoarse voice

Can untreated GERD (chronic acid reflux) lead to long term concerns?

While most people experience occasional heartburn, also known as gastroesophageal reflux, it takes the form of GERD in case it occurs daily and is left untreated. That said, untreated gastroesophageal reflux disease can lead to many long term complications because over time, the reflux of stomach acid damages the tissue lining the esophagus, causing inflammation and pain. In adults, long term, untreated GERD can cause permanent damage to the esophagus, leading to many other health complications.

Esophagitis

When the stomach's content and acids are repeatedly pushed back up into the esophagus, it can irritate the sensitive lining of the esophagus, causing long-term damage and injury. This can further trigger painful inflammation called esophagitis. This condition can cause ulcers in your esophagus, leading to further complications such as chest pain, bleeding, heartburn, difficulty swallowing food and more.

Barrett's Esophagus and the risk of esophageal cancer

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases states that only a small percentage of people with GERD develop Barrett’s esophagus, with an average age of 55 and most commonly in men.

Barrett's Esophagus is a condition that occurs in people who suffer from long term persistent GERD. It is an outcome of the damage caused by the acid reflux, which leads to the changes in the cells existing in the lining of the esophagus. The condition is also a major risk factor for esophageal cancer.

There are two types of esophageal cancer: Adenocarcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma.

While adenocarcinoma develops in the lower part of the esophagus, squamous cell carcinoma starts from the cells in the lining of the esophagus. The latter form of cancer affects the upper and middle part of the esophagus.

The risk factors for Barrett's esophagus include chronic GERD, obesity, smoking, and large meal intake with foods that are highly greasy and processed.

Strictures or narrowing of the esophagus

 

Persistent damage to the esophagus can lead to scarring, also known as strictures, which can cause narrowing down of the esophagus. This in turn can make swallowing foods difficult and can prevent foods and drinks from reaching the stomach.

Respiratory complications

While it may come as a surprise, GERD can also lead to asthma flare-ups. During an acid reflux, when the acid from the stomach flows back up into the esophagus, small amounts of acid may also end up in the mouth and be inhaled, causing airway inflammation. The irritation can then lead to asthma attacks.

Having said that, people with GERD are more likely to develop other respiratory complications including chronic cough, hoarse voice, aspiration pneumonia, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and more.

Treatment options for GERD

Doctors and medical professionals may prescribe certain medications to treat GERD. However, make sure to consult your physician for effective results. Common over-the-counter (OTC) medications include:

- Antacids: Antacids help ease mild and occasional symptoms of acid reflux and GERD. These help eliminate the acid in the esophagus and stomach and stop heartburn.

- H2 receptor blockers: Those with chronic reflux may be prescribed H2 blockers which work towards blocking acid secretion in the stomach.

- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): PPIs also lower the amount of acid in the stomach and help ease irritation in the esophagus.

Those who have mild symptoms of GERD can resort to these lifestyle changes that can decrease one's risk of developing severe complications.

- Maintain healthy weight

- Quit smoking and alcohol consumption

- Practice portion control (avoid eating large meals)

- Do not lie down immediately after eating a heavy meal

- Avoid foods that are processed, fried and oily

- Say no to colas and other carbonated beverages, caffeine and citrus fruits

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Silent Asthma !

Silent Symptoms of Asthma

A couple of sources referred to the “silent symptoms and signs of asthma.” The most well-known symptom of asthma is wheezing, that whistling sound your breath makes, usually on exhaling. Coughing is another well-known symptom of asthma. Neither of those are silent. But there are also other standard symptoms, such as:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness

Those symptoms could be referred to as “silent,” since they don’t specifically make noise, I guess. And if those are your only symptoms, health care professionals might not take them as seriously as a chronic cough or wheezing.
Other so-called “silent” symptoms might include:

• Yawning or sighing, when frequent
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Frequent respiratory infections, including colds, that are hard to shake
• Difficulty sleeping
• Fatigue

However, these are not true clinical symptoms of asthma. Instead, they are more likely the effects of having asthma that is not well-controlled.

Silent Chest

Another use of the word silent in connection with asthma that I saw mentioned a few times (but never in the credible sources I am used to using) was “silent chest.” This term appears to be linked at times to a type of  asthma attack called " status asthmaticus".

These are the hallmark features of this type of asthma attack:

• Airway inflammation and obstruction occurs suddenly and rapidly
• Little or no wheezing
• Breathing becomes extremely difficult and worsens with associated fatigue
• Difficult to detect at first by lay people
• Life-threatening

In short, the airways may seem to almost shut down during this type of asthma exacerbation. I remember when my children were in grade school, there was a playground death at their school of a student who had one of these rapid onset asthma attacks. There was little time for his teachers to figure out what was wrong, let alone to call for emergency help in time.

In Summary

There are a number of anecdotal articles about silent asthma. But it does not appear to be a term used extensively in asthma research. So, while you may have been told you or your child have “silent asthma,” it is not a true classification. My advice? Ask your health care professional to explain in detail what is meant by this term in reference to your health status. Find out what you need to know to stay safe and healthy.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                
 PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                               
     https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/                                                                                     
  FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                              https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com