1, the symptoms of GERD
GERD is a multiple factors caused by the dysfunction of the digestive tract, is a result of the decline of the anti-reflux mechanism and the effect of the reflux material on the esophageal mucosa. Gastroesophageal reflux disease due to the duration of the disease, the severity of the disease is different, affected by a variety of factors of different clinical manifestations are not consistent, there can be the following symptoms:
1 Poststernal burning sensation:
Poststernal burning sensation, also known as reflux heartburn, is the main symptom of the disease, most of which occurs about one hour after eating, often associated with the position of the body, such as stooping, flexion, coughing, Pregnancy, ascites, straining to defecate and other postures that force the stomach to increase pressure can be induced to aggravate heartburn, also known as postural heartburn. It can also be induced by overfeeding, intake of strong tea, alcohol, coffee, fruit juice, aspirin drugs. Complicated esophageal hiatal hernia, the above symptoms are more typical, accompanied by gastric distension, burping, belching, burning sensation of the oral mucosa, etc., in the taking of acid-producing drugs, the symptoms can be temporarily disappeared, eating too hot or too acidic stimulating food can make the condition worse. If the effect is not obvious after taking acid-control drugs, suggesting a lack of gastric acid, the cause of the burning sensation is mainly due to bile reflux. If there is scarring in severe esophagitis, there may be no or only slight burning sensation. According to Chinese medicine, the pathogenesis is due to the weakness of the spleen and stomach, the yin fire is strong, the stomach is out of harmony, and the yin fire goes up with the turbid qi in the stomach. These fire from the middle burner, the upper burner, the guest in the danzhong, so the clinical manifestation of the sternum (or the lower sternum) burning-like sensation.
2 Post-sternal or gastro-epigastric pain:
The pain of this disease is similar to angina or pleurisy radiating to the back, chest, and even behind the ears, and in the worst case, it is a sharp stabbing pain. If a patient with reflux esophagitis develops persistent retrosternal pain that even radiates to the neck, it suggests a penetrating border ulcer or concomitant peri-esophagitis. When the retained food and reflux secretions are inhaled into the trachea and lungs, serious consequences such as nocturnal paroxysms of choking, wheezing, and even choking can occur. The causes of the disease are mainly due to internal injuries of emotions and feelings, improper diet or over-exertion. Liver qi stagnation, loss of excretion and regulation, qi is not smooth, transverse violation of the spleen and stomach, the pain behind the sternum, often accompanied by coercive rib distension and pain, belching frequently, each in the emotional discomfort and trigger, stagnation of qi easy blood stasis, so the pain is more dramatic.
3 reflux to the pharynx:
The patient reported that every time after a meal, taking the forward position or lying down, there is acidic liquid food into the stomach, esophageal reflux to the oral cavity, the pharynx, and more in the sub-sternal burning or occur before the appearance. The lesion site of this disease is at the junction of the upper and middle Jiao, which is a part of the circulation of the Ren Vessel. Stomach qi to descend for the smooth, now the spleen and stomach is weak, liver and wood grams, so that the stomach qi does not descend and upward reversal, and the meridian qi of the Ren vein is also from the middle epigastric up the diaphragm to the Lianquan pharynx, so the turbid qi in the stomach of patients with reflux esophagitis and the combination of yin and fire, reflux to the pharynx, and the occurrence of reflux chronic pharyngitis.
4 Unfavorable swallowing or vomiting:
These two interact with each other, difficulty in swallowing and unfavorable food down, then upward and vomiting. In the early stages of the disease, due to inflammation causing limited spasm of the esophagus, a momentary unfavorable swallowing, dysphagia and vomiting can occur. As the disease progresses to the later stages, persistent dysphagia and vomiting can occur due to stenosis caused by fibrous scarring.
When the dysphagia gradually worsens, the heartburn gradually decreases in frequency and degree, and even no longer occurs in the later stages.
5Special types of esophagitis:
Clinically, when septic esophagitis is seen, it is often manifested as pain in the back of the sternum, neck, or dysphagia and pain. If the lesion is extensive, fever, chills and peripheral discomfort may occur. Candida esophagitis can also be seen in the clinic, this type of symptom is only a mild dysphagia, mild pain in swallowing, and in severe cases, it can present with severe retrosternal pain, or even fear of food, weight loss, with anorexia, vomiting, and even hemorrhage.
GERD is closely related to people's dietary structure and living habits. The best way to be healthy is to prevent the disease before it occurs and to develop a good lifestyle. Patients are reminded to: reduce the amount of food they eat at each meal, eat less fried, deep-fried and high-fat food, ban smoking, ban alcohol, and try to eat less chili peppers, coffee, peppermint, chocolate and other foods that can cause reflux.
2, the causes of GERD
Lian An Clinic President Cheng Nai-yuan said today that in the past, GERD was more in European countries than in Asia, but an analysis of the international medical literature found that Taiwan has caught up with the advanced countries in Europe in the footsteps of the prevalence of reflux esophagitis in Taiwan was 15.6 percent, the highest in Asia.
Cheng Nai-yuan said, gastroesophageal reflux according to the degree of damage to the mucosa is divided into ABCD four levels, A type of the lightest, the analysis of the data to the A level for the most more than 60%. Further analysis found that more than 60% of patients have no obvious symptoms, and even the most serious level D, 75% of people have no conscious symptoms, easy to ignore the risk of disease.
Cheng Naiyuan analyzed that the increase of gastroesophageal reflux in modern people has something to do with their living habits and diet. Many people love to eat late-night snacks, but eating time is too close to bedtime, the stomach is full of food, stimulating gastric acid secretion, when the stomach is propped up, the cardia to control the food not to reflux into the esophagus will also be propped up; eat and go to sleep, lying flat due to the lack of gravity caused by the difference between the stomach inside the stuff will be easy to reflux.
He said many people also like to drink coffee and strong tea, but coffee and strong tea will also make the cardia tension loose, and also increase the secretion of gastric acid.
Gastroesophageal reflux dangerous 4 big groups, Zheng Naiyuan said, from the health examination results found that men, middle-aged, smoking and drinking, obese people are dangerous 4 big groups. Men are more prone to gastroesophageal reflux than women, because men's living and eating habits are generally less attention, socializing, smoking and drinking more; obese people are because of the diet is easy to overdose, the negative pressure is greater, more prone to reflux.
Cheng Nai-yuan reminded that the most important thing to prevent or improve reflux esophagitis is to adjust the daily diet and lifestyle, quit smoking and alcohol, less coffee and strong tea, and maintain a normal body weight; the order of eating should master the principle of wet and dry separation, the first to drink soup and then eat solid food, to take a mild diet, eat less stimulating food, eat only 7 minutes of fullness per meal, and do not eat for 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.