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Your esophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when a muscle at the end of your esophagus does not close properly. This allows stomach contents to leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus and irritate it.

You may feel a burning in the chest or throat called heartburn. Sometimes, you can taste stomach fluid in the back of the mouth. This is acid indigestion. If you have these symptoms more than twice a week, you may have GERD.

What causes GERD?

The reason some people develop GERD is still unclear. However, research shows that in people with GERD, the LES relaxes while the rest of the esophagus is working. Anatomical abnormalities such as a hiatal hernia may also contribute to GERD. A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach and the LES move above the diaphragm, the muscle wall that separates the stomach from the chest. Normally, the diaphragm helps the LES keep acid from rising up into the esophagus. When a hiatal hernia is present, acid reflux can occur more easily. A hiatal hernia can occur in people of any age and is most often a normal finding in otherwise healthy people over age 50. Most of the time, a hiatal hernia produces no symptoms.

GERD Symptoms

Adults

Heartburn is the major symptom of acid in the esophagus, characterized by burning discomfort behind the breastbone (sternum). Findings in GERD include esophagitis (reflux esophagitis) — inflammatory changes in the esophageal lining (mucosa) —, strictures, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), and chronic chest pain. Patients may have only one of those symptoms. Typical GERD symptoms include cough, hoarseness, voice changes, chronic ear ache, burning chest pains, nausea or sinusitis. GERD complications include stricture formation, Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal spasms, esophageal ulcers, and possibly even lead to esophageal cancer, especially in adults over 60 years old.

How is GERD diagnosed and evaluated?

Symptoms and response to treatment (therapeutic trial)

The usual way that GERD is diagnosed—or at least suspected—is by its characteristic symptom, heartburn. Heartburn is most frequently described as a sub-sternal (under the middle of the chest) burning that occurs after meals and often worsens when lying down. To confirm the diagnosis, physicians often treat patients with medications to suppress the production of acid by the stomach. If the heartburn then is diminished to a large extent, the diagnosis of GERD is considered confirmed.

Treatments and drugs

Antacids. Antacids, such as Maalox, Mylanta, Gelusil, Rolaids and Tums, neutralize stomach acid and can provide quick relief. But antacids alone won’t heal an inflamed esophagus damaged by stomach acid. Overuse of some antacids can cause side effects such as diarrhea or constipation.

A doctor may also recommend different medications to relieve symptoms. Over-the-counter antacids, such as Alka-Seltzer or Maalox, work by neutralizing stomach acid and can help with mild symptoms. Other medications called H2 blockers are available over the counter and by prescription and help by blocking the production of stomach acid. If your doctor thinks you should take these, he or she will recommend certain over-the-counter medications or write you a prescription.

Post pregnancy life or life after pregnancy brings so many questions; one of them is about menstruation care after pregnancy. You are constantly wondering as to when you will get your first period after pregnancy.

Many women mistake the bloody discharge after delivery for period. That discharge, however, is not your period, but all the additional fluid coming out of your uterus. This discharge can last from one to two months and women do need to wear pads to avoid staining their clothes.

The start of your menstrual cycle after pregnancy depends upon different factors, like your hormonal composition and breast-feeding. Women who do not breast-feed may get their first period after pregnancy as soon as one month.

On the other hand, women who breast-feed get their menstruation after pregnancy late, the reason being that, the prolactin present in your breast milk tends to suppress the menstruation after pregnancy.

Many women assume that they will not ovulate until the time they do not get their first period after pregnancy. You will be surprised to know that you might start ovulation within a few weeks of your delivery. Therefore, contraception plays an important role in life after pregnancy.

Facts About Menstruation After Pregnancy

Your period after pregnancy will be heavier and painful as compared to your experience before pregnancy.

You might still get PMS, when you resume menstruation after pregnancy.

While you are breast-feeding, be very careful of the birth control methods that you use. Consult your doctor before choosing any. Most doctors suggest barrier methods such as condoms, diaphragm etc.

Moms who are not breast-feeding can choose from a variety of options, like natural menstrual cycle, IUD insertion, contraceptive pills, or barrier methods.

Remember that menstruation after pregnancy is unpredictable. It will differ from woman to woman, and it changes monthly for a woman. It is all a game of hormones and how well your body copes with the changes. There might be women who might not experience any difference in menstruation before and after pregnancy. A cycle that appears normal to you might not be normal for another woman. Every woman has a different menstruation cycle. You need to understand your body very well, in order to understand your menstruation cycle. Do not be anxious about your first period after pregnancy, you will get them when your body is healed and uterus returns to its normal size and starts functioning normally.

Pregnancy brings many changes in you and your menstrual cycle is no exception. There are many changes that you would need to deal with apart from sitting and worrying about your menstruation after pregnancy. You just need to ensure that once you get your periods, then the menstruation care should be proper. Adjusting with the changes and enjoying life after pregnancy should be your motto. As everything else, your menstruation after pregnancy will also start falling in place with time.

Acid reflux during pregnancy isn’t a universal experience among pregnant women, but it happens often enough that old wives tales have grown up around it. For example, they used to say if a pregnant woman had acid reflux the baby would be born with a full head of hair. Wives tales aside, this condition during pregnancy can be incredibly painful and is often sited as one of the worst side effects.

The Causes of Acid Reflux During Pregnancy

The body naturally increases its levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy. A primary reason for the jump in these two hormones is to assist the muscles of the uterus to relax as the baby grows and more space is required. Unfortunately, these hormones also tend to relax the muscles in the lower esophageal sphincter, which functions as a valve between the stomach and the esophagus. When the sphincter relaxes it’s unable to prevent the stomach acids from rising into the esophagus, the throat, even the mouth. Which is, of course, the experience of acid reflux.

The diaphragm is the muscle group that divides the chest from the abdomen. In turn, this pressure is passed to the stomach and the esophagus. This pressure causes a malfunction of the esophageal sphincter, which can no longer keep the stomach contents from breaking into the esophagus and irritating the lining.Women often don’t experience this until late in their pregnancy.

So you have two normal processes taking place during pregnancy that tend to promote the onset of acid reflux.

How You Can Take Control of Your Acid Reflux

While it would be easy to just visit your doctor and obtain a prescription for your acid reflux, this isn’t always possible. You have to be reasonable about what goes into your body while you’re pregnant. These are delicate months in your baby’s growth, so you want to minimize the medications that go into your body.

Fortunately, there are some standard measures you can take to minimize the occurrence of acid reflux.

First, some standard physical exercises such as yoga and stretching can your body flexible and more adaptable to the changes it’s working through. This helps remove some of the force on the esophageal sphincter that naturally occurs during pregnancy. Try wearing loose clothing too.

Second, your diet can influence the severity of your acid reflux as well. You’ll want to limit your intake of spicy foods, even though some recent research seems to suggest that these foods may not be a primary factor when it comes to acid reflux. More important, you’ll want to do away with or dramatically limit your intake of dairy products, alcohol (which you shouldn’t be drinking during pregnancy anyway), caffeine, fried foods, potatoes and onions, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and chocolate.

Third, even eating habits can act upon your acid reflux. Eating smaller meals during the day can make sure that there’s not too much force on the esophageal sphincter. Overeating is an invitation for the stomach contents to rise back into the esophagus. Chew your food thoroughly. Allow at least three hours between your final meal and when you go to bed. Don’t deny your cravings, they serve an important function during pregnancy, but always keep your portions limited.

Fourth, work at keeping up good posture. Again, this is about keeping force off the esophageal sphincter. You might also want to look around for an incline pillow for sleeping at night. This will keep your head and upper body elevated, making it more difficult for stomach contents to rise into the esophagus.

Fifth, always consult with your physician first, but you might wish to try a natural antacid. Ginger, for instance, is thought to be good at absorbing stomach acids. Indian gooseberry has also been shown to significantly reduce acid secretions. Chamomile, gentian, and orange peel extract are some others you might want to investigate.