Are Acid Reflux and GERD the Same Thing?
You’re familiar with acid reflux, either from your own experience or that of a friend or family member. You’ve heard of GERD and wonder if it’s the same thing. We explain here.
My Acid Reflux Is Affecting My Quality of Life: What Can Be Done?
If you have uncontrolled acid reflux, you’re seeking answers. You’re tired of the burning pain in your chest after eating. Food and stomach acids back up into your throat. You may have trouble swallowing your food.
At Turnquest Surgical Solutions, our board-certified bariatric and general surgeons, Dexter Turnquest, MD, and Victoria C. Chang, MD, offer several solutions for chronic acid reflux.
We review your medical history and tests and then talk with you about your symptoms. We recommend which strategy is going to work best for you.
Here are some of the strategies that help control the pain of acid reflux.
Change lifestyle habits
Do you know that a change in your lifestyle habits could work wonders to control your acid reflux? You may not be aware of all of the triggers that can produce your painful symptoms.
You probably know to stay away from spicy foods, but alcohol, fatty foods, smoking, obesity, caffeine, and even some medications can produce acid reflux.
Home remedies include avoiding your triggers and making other lifestyle changes such as elevating the head of your bed with a wedge, sleeping on your left side, and eating dinner earlier.
If you’ve reduced or eliminated the triggers and tried other home remedies but still have painful symptoms, it’s time to look at surgical solutions.
Hiatal hernia surgery
We check to see if you have a hiatal hernia, a condition that can result in acid reflux. If you have a hiatal hernia, a part of your stomach has pushed through your diaphragm.
Hiatal hernias can occur for several reasons. Being overweight, repeatedly lifting heavy objects, repeated straining when going to the bathroom, an injury, or a congenital condition can cause a hiatal hernia. We can repair the problem, which likely will eliminate most if not all of your symptoms.
LINX® Reflux Management surgery
If other solutions haven’t worked, you may qualify for LINX® Reflux Management surgery.
The lower esophageal sphincter muscle (LES) at the bottom of your esophagus at the entrance to your stomach has a valve that normally closes to prevent partially digested food and stomach acids from traveling back up to your throat.
The valve at the LES isn’t working properly when you have acid reflux. LINX® Reflux Management surgery repairs the faulty valve muscle so it closes the way it should when what you eat or drink reaches your stomach.
Weight loss surgery
Being obese or overweight can cause chronic acid reflux. The excess fat in your abdominal area puts pressure on your stomach and may force acids back up into your esophagus.
If you’ve been unsuccessful in losing excess weight and have chronic acid reflux, weight loss surgery can help relieve your symptoms. We discuss which options would be right for you after examining your medical history, consulting with you, and reviewing test results.
Contact us by phone or online today to request an appointment at one of our two Houston, Texas, locations. If you have painful acid reflux, we offer solutions.
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