|
|
|
Holiday
Heartburn
December
30, 2008 |
This holiday season many
of us will indulge in
foods we usually try and
stay away from other
times of the year.
Overeating fatty foods
and drinking more
alcohol could cause you
to experience
uncomfortable digestive
symptoms. Dr. Sandra
Jara is a
Gastroenterologist with
Lee Memorial Health
System. She says, “If
you start to have
discomfort most patients
describe a burning
sensation. Heartburn is
basically when you have
regurgitation of acid
that occurs from the
stomach radiating to the
esophagus.” If
heartburn and
indigestion symptoms
become more frequent and
start to affect your
daily life it may not be
just a seasonal
problem. “Episodes of
reflux that may be in
some cases occurring
once or twice a month is
now occurring once or
twice a week that is
going to be something to
prompt them to go see a
primary care physician,”
she says. Persisting
symptoms could mean you
may be suffering from a
condition known as GERD.
“GERD is basically
gastro esophageal reflux
disease it’s when you
have reflux of acid
contents from your
stomach into your
esophagus and patients
usually complain of
indigestion, heartburn,”
says Dr. Jara. Other
GERD symptoms include
coughing, wheezing,
hoarseness or even
difficulty swallowing.
If symptoms like these
continue long after
holiday meals it’s
important to see a
physician. There are
several treatments
available for GERD
including medications
and non-invasive
surgery.
|
|
|
|
|
|
