Have difficulty sleeping? You wake up at night with a bitter taste in my mouth, choking and difficulty breathing? Do you have recurring heartburn – a burning feeling rising from the stomach or lower chest to the neck?
If you answered yes to these questions, you probably have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a serious disease that affects millions of people around the world.
GERD is a benign disease of the upper digestive tract is characterized by reflux of stomach acid reflux into the esophagus or food tube. Heartburn is the main symptom of GERD is experienced by 34 to 44 percent of the population in Western countries. All of us experience heartburn from time to time, especially after meals. Heartburn, but frequently may indicate the presence of GERD.
United States alone, 60 million people suffer twice a month because of GERD, while 25 million daily bothersome symptoms. Recent studies also show that GERD is a common problem for health in Asia, especially among city dwellers.
Unfortunately, many people with GERD are not aware of their problem, because the condition is often dismissed as a minor problem in the stomach or misdiagnosed as indigestion. A survey of 1,700 Europeans with symptoms of GERD found that only five percent had consulted their doctors about the problem. Although the majority of patients with GERD do not require emergency medical care, repeated episodes of GERD can have a major impact on quality of life of the person.
How serious is GERD? Participants at Digestive Disease Week in San Francisco, reported that "physical and mental quality of life of patients with gastroesophageal reflux are the same scale as those with severe cardiovascular disease. "In reality, the condition can be alarming for most patients because it simulates angina pectoris (chest pain due to heart disease).
The physical pain experienced by patients with GERD is caused by the stomach and / or chest discomfort after meals, may radiate to the shoulder and arm, a bitter taste in the mouth, difficulty in sleeping well at night, fatigue and the difficulty or pain upon swallowing.
The mental anguish of victims of GERD comes from not knowing what the disease is not the relief of symptoms despite the high cost of treatment due to misdiagnosis. Untreated, the disease can lead to esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus) and other complications, such as cancer.
Since GERD is a major health problem, we must be aware of their symptoms and seek effective medical treatment. This will save us from physical and mental anguish that the disease brings, unnecessary expensive tests and life-threatening complications.
One way to avoid firing GERD is fat and spicy foods, alcohol and large meals. This will not only prevent disease, but will help maintain a healthy weight. To lose those extra pounds more, take Phenocal – safe and natural supplement for weight loss, increase metabolism, suppress appetite, increase energy levels and help you lose unwanted weight. Check out http://www. Phenocal. com for more details.