gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common disease, not only in Vietnam but all over the world. The disease can occur in anyone, including children and adults. In the early stages, the disease has mild symptoms and does not have much impact on health, so many people are subjective. However, if not detected and treated early, it will cause many life-threatening complications. To answeris gastroesophageal reflux dangerous, let’s find out with My Auris through the following article.
What is gastric reflux?
Gastric reflux is also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease – GERD or gastric acid reflux. This is a condition in which stomach acid refluxes occasionally or frequently into the esophagus (the tube connecting the mouth and stomach). Gastroesophageal reflux may not affect the body’s physical development, but it can also cause malnutrition, esophagitis, and other respiratory complications.
This disease can occur in both children and adults, however, adults are the most susceptible to the disease. According to statistics, about 10-20% of adults have had symptoms of gastric reflux at least once in their life.
Signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease
A healthy, normal body is after eating food passed through the mouth, the sphincter opens to allow food to enter the stomach and then closes. However, for people with gastroesophageal reflux disease, the sphincter does not close tightly, causing part of the stomach’s fluid to reflux. Therefore, causing many typical symptoms as follows:
- Heartburn: these are common symptoms of gastric reflux disease, especially after eating a full meal, indigestion, and time to rest. When you have heartburn, you will feel a sour taste in your mouth. This symptom often occurs at night, greatly affecting the patient’s quality of sleep and daily life.
- Belching: is a common symptom when hungry. This symptom also occurs often when full and has indigestion.
- Vomiting, nausea: this symptom also occurs when eating too much. At this time, the stomach contents will irritate the throat, making the patient feel nauseous and may vomit food and gastric juices out. The longer this condition lasts, the more it will lead to deathn eat.
- Loss of appetite, choking, difficulty swallowing: prolonged gastric reflux leads to bile reflux, thereby causing a bitter feeling in the mouth. In addition, stomach acid rises up causing swelling of the esophagus, leading to a feeling of choking and difficulty swallowing food. From there, it leads to a feeling of loss of appetite, anorexia, weight loss,…
- Epigastric pain: acid reflux from the stomach irritates nerve fiber endings in the esophageal mucosa, causing the patient to feel chest pain. Not only that, the pain can spread to the chest, back and arms, making it easy for patients to confuse it with other diseases.
- Sore throat, hoarseness and frequent coughing due to acid reflux causing damage to the vocal cords.
- Increased salivation: gastroesophageal reflux disease causes the pH level in the mouth to decrease, stimulating the activity of salivary organs to neutralize stomach acid. This is also the reason people with this disease secrete more saliva than normal.
In addition to the common symptoms mentioned above, patients may also experience some symptoms such as difficulty breathing, asthma, bad breath, enamel wear. teeth,…
Is gastroesophageal reflux dangerous?
Is gastroesophageal reflux dangerous or not is something that many people are concerned about. According to doctors, this is a common disease that does not affect health if detected and treated promptly. However, if not treated early, the disease progresses to a late stage and will cause many dangerous complications, not only affecting health but also threatening life.
- Esophageal ulcers: when regularly affected by stomach acid, the esophagus can be damaged, eroding the mucosa, leading to ulceration. At this time, some symptoms will appear such as difficulty swallowing, nausea, chest pain, loss of appetite, etc. However, esophageal ulcers can still be effectively improved if treated early.
- Esophageal stenosis: When ulcers in the esophagus develop over time, causing scars. From there, the esophagus will gradually narrow, causing difficulty swallowing and chest pain.
- Some respiratory problems: cases where stomach acid refluxes into the respiratory tract, peopleThe patient will have to face a number of health problems such as sore throat, sinusitis, bronchitis, or pneumonia, etc. Besides, patients also often encounter problems with frequent runny nose, hoarseness, frequent coughing, wheezing, etc.
- Barrett esophagus: stomach acid reflux can also cause the cells in the tissue lining the esophagus to become red and thicker. From there, it increases the risk of esophageal cancer. However, it is difficult to recognize symptoms of the disease. Usually, the disease is diagnosed through endoscopy and biopsy.
- Esophageal cancer: this is the most serious and dangerous complication, often occurring in patients 50 years of age and older. Esophageal cancer is even more life-threatening and difficult to detect in the early stages. However, when unusual symptoms such as esophageal bleeding, bone pain, hoarseness, unexplained weight loss, etc. appear, you need to see a doctor soon.
How to prevent gastroesophageal reflux manage
To prevent gastroesophageal reflux, people should change their lifestyle, eating and living habits. Besides, you also need to pay attention to the following things:
- Weight control: maintaining a stable, ideal weight can prevent many different diseases including acid reflux. When overweight or obese, abdominal pressure will increase, causing the stomach to push up, thereby increasing the risk of stomach acid reflux.
- Quit smoking: toxic substances in cigarettes not only cause lung and cardiovascular diseases but also affect the activity of the esophageal sphincter and increase the risk of reflux.
- Pillow your head higher or raise the head of the bed to elevate your body from the waist up.
- Absolutely do not lie down immediately after eating. Dinner should be at least 3 hours before bedtime
- When eating, you should eat slowly and chew thoroughly to reduce pressure on the stomach and avoid gastrointestinal diseases.
- Limit greasy foods, processed foods, carbonated drinks or caffeine
- Increase substances that have the effect of neutralizing acids such as starch products: cereals, oatmeal, breads,… 400;” aria-level=”1″>Add more fiber to the body: green vegetables, fruits, fruits, beans,…
- Should eat a lot of yogurt: yogurt has many beneficial bacteria to help the digestive process go faster more delicious.
- Use products that are good for the stomach such as turmeric, honey,… regularly
- Limit the use of greasy foods, fast foods, processed foods,… spicy,…
Hopefully with the shares in the article aboutIs gastroesophageal reflux dangerous, helping people better understand the disease. From there, change living habits to improve health and prevent disease.
Anh Thy
