Medical Treatments for GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is one of the most common digestive diseases. Once you have been diagnosed with it, the doctor will recommend the most appropriate treatment for you. There are a number of treatments available for this particular disease. Your doctor will make their recommendation based on the severity and persistence of your symptoms.

Antacids

These medications are designed to neutralize the acid that goes from the stomach up the esophagus. Their purpose is to relieve the main symptom of GERD - heartburn. They are not designed to prevent the actual acid reflux.

In general, antacids offer short-term symptom relief. They should not be used for long as they may cause diarrhea or constipation. The more modern antacids that offer a combination of magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide should prevent these side effects. This is the reason why most doctors recommend them.

Other Medications

Your doctor will recommend other medicines for the treatment of GERD, if antacids do not work to relieve your symptoms permanently.

Foaming agents work to prevent acid reflux by covering the contents of your stomach with foam. As the substance cannot get through the foam, it cannot get through the open sphincter either.

H2 blockers reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach. There are H2 blockers of different strengths available either as over the counter or prescription drugs. These medications have been found to provide symptom relief to about half of the patients with GERD.

Proton pump inhibitors decrease the quantity of acid produced by the stomach as well. These medications have been found to be more effective than H2 blockers for most patients with GERD. They give you considerable symptom relief and provide for the healing of the lining of the esophagus.

Prokinetics work to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter, to stimulate the stomach to empty more quickly and to reduce acid reflux. They work well, but may have some adverse side effects. These include sleepiness, fatigue and depression.

Surgery

If the treatment with medications which is usually combined with lifestyle changes does not help, the doctor may recommend surgery. In general, it is used only as a last resort.

The surgeon wraps the upper part of the stomach around the lower esophageal sphincter. The result is strengthening of the sphincter and effective prevention of acid reflux. With surgery, the hiatal hernia is also fixed.

It is essential for GERD to be diagnosed timely. In this way, the non-invasive treatments are likely to produce efficient results and to help you get cured.