Seems your symptoms still are of
Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when stomach acid leaks back up into the esophagus. This is known as acid reflux. The esophagus is the tube that runs from your throat to your stomach.
GERD is often a chronic condition, which means that if you have it, you may experience recurring episodes for the rest of your life.
The symptoms of GERD may be improved by making lifestyle changes that affect acid reflux, such as eating smaller meals and, if you smoke, giving up.
There are a number of
self-care treatment techniques that may help to relieve the symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). These are outlined below.
* If you are overweight, losing weight may help to reduce the severity and frequency of your symptoms because it will reduce the pressure on your stomach.
* If you are a smoker, you should consider quitting . Tobacco smoke can irritate your digestive system and may make the symptoms of GERD worse.
* Try eating smaller, more frequent meals rather than three large meals a day . Make sure that you have your evening meal 3-4 hours before going to bed.
* Watch for triggers that make your GERD worse - for example, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, tomatoes, or fatty, or spicy, foods. Once you have identified the triggers, you should try removing them from your diet and see whether your symptoms improve.
* Try raising the head of your bed by placing wood, or blocks, under it - this can help to reduce the symptoms of GERD in some people. However, before using it, you should make sure that the bed is sturdy and safe. Do not use extra pillows because this may increase the pressure on your abdomen.
If you are currently taking medication for other health conditions, you should check with your doctor to see if they could be contributing towards your GERD. Alternative medicines may be available. Do not stop any medication without speaking to your doctor.
Over-the-counter (OTC) treatments
There are a number of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines that can help to relieve the symptoms of mild to moderate GERD.
Posted by Paul Ashby
About a year ago I got a virus which left me with acid reflux, ive had it for about a year now but it doesn't seem to be going away. It was normally at its worst the night after I drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes in the same night. The next day it would feel like there was a lot of pressure on my stomach, a feeling as if i had just done a thousand stomach crunches. I havent had acid reflux like most people describe as i've never had heart burn from it. I get random stomach pains, muscle spasms and just generally feel ill now and again and I've woken up this morning with a pain in the upper middle of my stomach which isnt extremely painful, it just feels like its being pushed outwards. I rarely drink now and I smoke a lot less though I know I need to cut it completely. I have just spent two years at university living a not very healthy lifestyle so I thought that may have contributed to this. If you have any ideas please let me know.