Symptoms Of GERD Include Coughing, Heartburn and Trouble Swallowing

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Symptoms Of GERD Include Coughing, Heartburn and Trouble Swallowing

Monday, October 13th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Heartburn is something more serious when it’s Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease (GERD). This does not go away on its own. In fact, if you ignore it, you will just get worse and worse and nit just from the GERD symptoms. Many people with GERD can’t sleep because of their symptoms such as coughing, heartburn and trouble swallowing. You have to go to your doctor in order to get the best treatment.

What Is It?

There’s a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) that connects your esophagus to your stomach. The LES acts like a trap door in order to keep the stomach contents in the stomach. In GERD, this trap door no longer works properly. It either won’t close all the way or will open without warning, making the stomach acid (and anything else in it) going back up your esophagus to your mouth. It’s the opening of your LES that causes your coughing, heartburn and trouble swallowing.
Things You Can Do Now

You are not completely helpless to your attacks of coughing, heartburn and trouble swallowing. There are several things you can do to help you try to get somewhat comfortable. The first thing you can do is make sure you are not wearing any tight clothing that presses down on your guts. Your goal is to put as less pressure as possible on your guts.

Another thing you can do to lessen GERD symptoms such as coughing, heartburn and asthma-like symptoms is to prop up your pillows so that you are not lying down flat on your bed. You need your head, neck and shoulders raised up a couple of inches at least from the mattress (or whatever you are sleeping on). This way, if your LES opens, the acid has a much better chance of staying in your stomach.

Long Term Goals

You will have to make some lifestyle changes in order to ease your coughing, heartburn and staying awake most of the night. If you drink alcohol, you must stop or drastically cut back. Water down the drinks you do have, eat with your drinks, nurse your drinks instead of shooting them back all in one gulp and don’t lie down for at least two hours after you finish your drink.

Another thing you will have to give up is smoking. Nicotine is one of the worst aggravators of coughing, heartburn and asthma-like symptoms. You also will get health benefits in other parts of your body, too.

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