How to cure GERD permanently?

Hey! Are you suffering from GERD? And don’t know what to do or don’t want to go to the doctor? Well then, I guess we have treatments available with for you to cure your GERD but permanently or not, that we need to find out as we go deeper into our study of GERD, it’s cause and treatment. But what is GERD? Well, let’s have a look at a scientific answer for that.

What is GERD?

Often abbreviated as GERD is actually known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is a chronic digestive disorder that affects the ring muscle between one’s oesophagus and one’s stomach. It is also a disease that irritates the food pipe lining with stomach acid or bile. And the ring that is affected because of GERD (situated between the oesophagus and stomach) is called as LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter). GERD may also cause you to get heart burn or acid indigestion.

Now, quickly have a look at the reasons that can cause you to suffer from GERD.

• Obese or being overweight – Although it is perfectly fine for one to be comfortable with the way they look, whether fat or think, but then again being Obese  and over weight is not good for health, thus it can cause GERD and many other health issues.

• Pregnancy – Motherhood is not easy but it can also cause you many issues like GERD, Migraine, Asthma, etc.

• Gastroparesis – Gastroparesis also known as delayed emptying of the stomach that can cause you to suffer from GERD.

• Smoking – We all might have heard this one caution numerous time that, ‘smoking is injurious to health’ but still many not pay attention to it and end up suffering from different diseases like GERD, cancer, Asthma, so forth and so on.

• Eating too much or eating just before going to bed.

• Improper balanced diet, including food items that are more spicy and rich. 

• Over eating or eating large meals always can be a reason for one to suffer from GERD.

Knowing the causes that cause one to suffer from GERD, now makes us move towards the treatments that could cure GERD either permanently or not. There are different approaches to treat GERD and some of them are as follows:

• Changes in Lifestyle and Diet – It is often seen that people suffer from GERD because of unhealthy lifestyle and diet. People nowadays tend to eat more of junk food and food bought from restaurants rather than healthy home cooked meals, which causes them to suffer from various diseases like GERD, Gastric problems and many more. Thus, in order to cure GERD, one must avoid foods that decrease the pressure in the lower oesophagus, such as fatty foods, coffee and alcohol. Avoid foods that slow down gastric emptying like fatty food, also avoid large meals. Make sure to lose weight if you are overweight and obese, avoid smoking and also make sure to not lie down immediately after having food, as that can create problems with your digestion. 

• Followed by changes in lifestyle and diet, one can also try some medication – It also happens that many a times even after following a healthy lifestyle people suffer from GERD and thus get rid of it one can take some medications like,

• Antacids – Antacids work the best in the case of intermittent and relatively infrequent symptoms of reflux. But one should also make sure to not overdo it as taking too much of Antacids it can have a reverse effect and can increase acid production in one’s stomach. 

• Histamine Blockers – Histamine Blockers are medicines that lower acid production in the stomach. Histamine Blockers also known as Histamine 2 or (H2) Blockers tend to heal oesophageal erosions in at least about 50% people. 

• Proton Pump Inhibitors and Prokinetic Agents - PPIs or Proton Pump Inhibitors tend to block the three major pathways of acid production and works better than Histamine Blockers although it is often suggested for people with serious oesophageal damage. While Prokinetic Agents is a drug that enhances the activity of the smooth muscle of one’s gastrointestinal tract. And these medicine are less effective than PPIs (Proton Pump Inhibitors). But like always, make sure to consume these medicines only after taking in to consideration your doctor’s suggestion. 

• Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) and Endoscopic Therapy – TIF is a type a of surgery where a special TIF device is used to create a passageway for a flexible tube-like instrument called an endoscope that allows the surgeon or physician to use preloaded tweezers or fasteners to repair and recreate the valve that serves as the natural barrier for reflux and this surgery is less painful than a laparoscopic one and also takes less time to recover thus a better option to get rid of GERD.

• And lastly one can also opt for a surgery for GERD – Surgery seems to be the last and permanent solution to get rid of GERD or the permanent cure for GERD, although it is always advised that one should opt for the surgery only when all the above mentioned methods like lifestyle and change in diet, medications, TIF (Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication) or endoscopic therapy has not worked for you and you still suffer GERD, then and only then you should go for the surgery. 

The main goal of the surgery for GERD is to strengthen the anti – reflux barrier because that is what is affected when you are suffering from GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease). 

Other than surgery and medication, one can also follow the certain steps mentioned below in order to take care of GERD:

• Not to move fast – Not to move fast meaning, that one should avoid vigorous exercises, or walking right after eating as that might send acid into your oesophagus. 

• Don’t drink carbonated beverages that make you burp but will send acid to your oesophagus. 

• Avoid sleeping right after eating, as not doing so will let the acid move upward instead of staying the stomach where it is needed.

• Avoid eating large meals where your stomach is overflowing with food as that might cause acid reflux and acid will reach your oesophagus. 

Now that we have got to know about what GERD is, what can cause GERD and what are the temporary and permanent cure and treatments for curing GERD, one should always remember the most important point here that ‘We should try and maintain a good lifestyle and diet’, as it forms an important part of our health. And apart from this one should also focus on something else, that is suffering from GERD doesn’t only affect the oesophagus because of the reflux instead it may also affect the pharynx and larynx, meaning it can cause the inflammation of the pharynx (which is the part of the throat right behind our mouths) and larynx (which is our voice box). Other than affecting the pharynx and larynx it can also cause Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and Asthma, as oesophagus takes part in respiratory system. 

Thus, whenever you or your near and dear ones are suffering from GERD make sure that whichever treatment you are following is ok but the goal of the treatment should be to treat and improve the symptoms of GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease). 

Ref: 9 ways to relieve acid reflux without medication - Harvard Health

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Treatment | Johns Hopkins Medicine

GERD: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, Remedies for Relief (webmd.com)