Acid reflux, also called GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is something many people experience at some point in their lives. GERD is a condition in which the acid that typically stays in the stomach splashes out and damages the esophagus. This results in a burning sensation in the upper abdomen. People typically try to treat GERD with over-the-counter medications, such as an antacid tablet. Often they find these methods ineffective. In general, GERD is something that can and should be addressed with your primary care provider (PCP).
Your PCP will likely recommend a two-pronged approach to tackling your GERD symptoms. First is to focus on your diet. Diets that are high in acidic foods, such as spicy foods, citrus foods, or sour foods, tend increase GERD symptoms. The reason is that you’re adding acidic content to an already acidic environment! Decreasing these foods as well as decreasing your intake of caffeine and chocolate may help eliminate your GERD symptoms. The second step in our approach is to start a medication to reduce the acid content of your stomach. We usually recommend a medication called a proton pump inhibitor or PPI. PPIs such as omeprazole help reduce the amount of stomach acid being produced. The less acid in the stomach, the less likely you are to have GERD symptoms. If you are experiencing GERD symptoms, I recommend discussing PPI therapy as well as possible adverse effects with your PCP.
Although GERD may seem like something benign that you can ignore, it may cause issues in the future; therefore, it’s important to be transparent and discuss with your provider.
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