Gastroenterological Medicine: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

• Disorder of gastroesophageal mucosa by adverse flow of gastric acid.
• When extremely bad having a pain on epigastric fossa.
• Oral medicine treatment to inhibit acid secretion is a main cure.
• For prophylaxis purpose, be careful not to take food and drink too much.

Disorder of gastroesophageal mucosa by adverse flow of gastric acid.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is a kind of disease occurred at esophagus. In some reason, gastric acid adversary flow to gastroesophageal side so that discomfort or inflammation on gastroesophageal mucosa occur. As Gastroesophageal is the organ connected to stomach through breast, symptom like chest pain, dorsal pain, or epigastric pain may occur. When it is too bad, it may be the case which end up with insomnia symptom or inappetence.

When extremely bad having a pain on epigastric fossa.

The main causes are, there is a case of internal pressure of belly rise up, or the case that the disease is generated by the deformation of internal organ.

Case where gastric internal pressure increase.

Obesity, excessive consumption, lay down after meal, wearing tight cloth like corset

Case where cardiac become loose due to deformation of internal organ

Esophageal hiatal hernia, Shrinkage of abdominal organs by lumbar spine compressed fracture

Symptom like heart burn or gastric acid comes up continuously, and when getting too bad, pain on epigastric fossa becomes strong. When deformation of internal organ is associated, person may throw out when lowered the eye or crouched.

Oral medicine treatment to inhibit acid secretion is a main cure.

To diagnose, simple medical interview check-up (F scale, QUEST interview sheet) or endoscope test of upper alimentary canal is conducted. Doctor can grasp subjective symptom through interview sheet, and confirms gastroesophageal inflammation level by endoscope. For the case of severe symptom, surgery operation has performed in the past, but now internal medication treatment becomes common since highly effective medicine has developed. Mainly Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI), which inhibits the amount of gastric acid with blocking the gastric acid oozing out gland.

For prophylaxis purpose, be careful not to take food and drink too much

It is better to care for the moderate diet, not to take too much food and drink. Also avoid wearing too tight for waist clothes. Even though if the symptom does not improve, consult with medical organization and have an appropriate medical check.