CBS News – An estimated 20% of Americans suffer from GERD, a chronic form of acid reflux that goes beyond occasional heartburn.
What causes acid reflux?
“The stomach loves acid, it helps with digestion. The esophagus, the swallowing tube, hates acid,” CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook, who is a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health, explained.
“Fortunately, there’s a valve in between the stomach and the esophagus that stops acid from bubbling up and giving you symptoms. When that loosens up, acid bubbles up, and it can cause all sorts of symptoms.”
Certain foods and other products can also trigger acid reflux:
- Nicotine
- Alcohol
- Fatty food
- Caffeine
- Chocolate
- Mint
- Spicy foods
How to prevent acid reflux
Besides avoiding these trigger foods, there are ways to prevent and treat acid reflux, including antacids and other medications.
“Things that can make it better are things like antacids. So you have pills that actually go into the stomach, or liquid that coats the esophagus and goes into the stomach — the liquid tends to work a little faster — and they hit that stomach acid … and decrease the amount of acid the stomach,” LaPook said.
If that doesn’t work, there are medications that can help stop the production of acid. “They can get increasingly powerful, and they can be more important in the long run for controlling long-term symptoms,” he said.
Finishing meals at least 2 to 3 hours before going to sleep, and elevating your head in bed, can also help reduce discomfort, the Sleep Foundation suggests …
