Can gastroesophageal reflux disease be cured completely?

This is an automatically translated article.

It is a very obvious fact that more and more young people are suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease and many have entered a long, difficult-to-treat chronic stage. You always have to face the terrible changes of the body, the burning pain / burning from the abdomen spreading to the chest is increasing rapidly, the respiratory system is vulnerable and the feeling of tastelessness in meals,. .. and there are many harmful effects that gastroesophageal reflux disease causes in your life. Time to realize, do you still have a chance to cut off this nagging illness?
Video content is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Pham Thi Mai Thanh, Internal Gastroenterologist, Vinmec Times City International Hospital

1. Causes of Gastroesophageal Reflux

You can think of the stomach as a barrel, with the esophageal sphincter as the lid of the barrel. Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when there is a "weak keg," which is a weakening of the lower esophageal sphincter and an excess of acid inside the stomach.
Psychological factors: Stress in modern life makes you mentally exhausted and often tired. Because of an unclear farewell, you plunge into caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol, because of work you are willing to stay up for dozens of hours without rest. Unhealthy living habits are the conditions that stimulate acid production and reduce the regulatory function of the stomach, making gastric juices prone to reflux.
In addition, unscientific eating habits such as chewing too quickly, eating while exercising, or overfilling the stomach will put pressure on and cause acid to rise up the esophagus. Consuming greasy, spicy and difficult to digest foods will increase the pressure in the stomach and cause this symptom.
Obese people and pregnant women with gastroesophageal reflux disease are also prone to gastroesophageal reflux due to increased intra-abdominal pressure, increased pressure in the stomach, leading to reflux of gastric juice. esophagus.
Stomach diseases such as: Helicobacter pylori infection, gastric ulcer, gastric antral erosion or gastritis, ... can cause damage to the stomach and cause cardiac muscle disorder. is the main cause of acid reflux.
Gastroesophageal reflux is an extremely easy disease to get, just a little carelessness and indifference to yourself can also create conditions for this disease to seize the opportunity to develop. If not detected and treated early, the disease will quickly turn into a long-lasting chronic disease and leave many important complications. Among them, esophageal cancer is the leading cause of death.

2. How to treat gastroesophageal reflux?

The good news is that acid reflux can now be completely treated if you detect and treat it in its early stages with mild symptoms. But at any stage, you still need to adhere to a healthy lifestyle:
A nutritious menu that combines acid-neutralizing foods such as bread, foods containing easily digestible protein and minimize the use of acidic foods such as lemons, oranges, carbonated drinks and hot spicy foods, ... and need to eat slowly, chew thoroughly for each meal Sleep 8 hours a day, do not stay up too late and work too hard Exercise to maintain a healthy weight For patients with only mild damage to the lower esophageal sphincter with heartburn and other symptoms infrequently, changing A healthy lifestyle change is an illness that can return to its normal state after a short period of time. However, if you have had acid reflux for a long time and your symptoms become more severe, you need to be treated with dietary and lifestyle changes, combined with the use of certain medications. anti-reflux medication. If not suitable, some patients will be indicated by surgical method. In particular, laparoscopic surgery to create an anti-reflux valve is the most optimal method. With open surgery method, esophageal surgery must be operated in a deep area, so it is difficult to access and manipulate. When the laparoscopic surgery method was born, doctors had an easier approach, effective treatment for cases of gastroesophageal reflux. The outstanding advantage of laparoscopic surgery is that
Patients no longer have to live with drugs, so they also reduce the side effects caused by the use of drugs. Prevent adverse and dangerous complications caused by the disease. There are many endoscopic surgical methods to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, the doctor will base on the examination and check the extent of damage to the esophagus to designate the right method for each patient. After surgery, the patient should strictly follow the doctor's instructions and if any abnormality is detected, it is necessary to quickly contact the doctor for timely treatment.

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