Digestive disorders affect millions of individuals and cover a variety of diseases ranging from mild to severe. These conditions involve the digestive tract, also known as the gastrointestinal or GI tract. The digestive disorders of heartburn, acid reflux, and gastroesophageal reflux disease/GERD are related and have similar symptoms but are different. Accurately diagnosing digestive disorders involves a thorough medical history, imaging and lab tests, and physical examination to develop the proper treatment plan.
Digestive Disorders
The gastrointestinal tract includes the esophagus, liver, gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, and large and small intestines.
Heartburn
Heartburn has nothing to do with the heart but describes a burning sensation in the chest. Individuals experience heartburn when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus. Occasional heartburn after eating spicy foods or foods an individual is not used to is common and is no cause for alarm. Most can manage the discomfort symptoms with lifestyle adjustments and over-the-counter medications. Chronic heartburn that interferes with daily/nightly routines could indicate a more serious condition requiring medical care. Symptoms include:
The burning discomfort sensations in the stomach and chest regions are usually worse after eating a meal, bending down, at night, and when lying down.
A bitter or acidic taste.
Acid Reflux
The esophagus comprises mainly smooth muscle that extends from the throat down through the chest cavity and past the abdomen, where it connects with the stomach. When swallowing, the esophagus opens and squeezes food down to the bottom, where a valve (lower esophageal sphincter LES) separates it from the stomach. The valve is normally closed. When swallowing, it opens so that food can pass through and then closes up. Acid reflux is a disorder that causes the valve to open when it’s not supposed to. This allows stomach contents like acid, digestive juices, enzymes, and food to flow backward from the stomach into the esophagus, causing heartburn symptoms. This usually happens when the lower esophageal sphincter is under added pressure, weakened, or malfunctioning. Symptoms can be caused by:
Overeating.
Eating spicy or acidic foods that can trigger symptoms.
Eating right before going to bed.
Medications.
Over alcohol consumption.
Exercising after eating.
Pregnancy.
Smoking.
Acid reflux and heartburn affect everyone, but most can handle the discomfort by taking antacids and avoiding the foods that brought it on. Occasional acid reflux can be treated with over-the-counter medication, including:
Acid reflux can potentially progress to gastroesophageal reflux disease, a more serious form of acid reflux that lasts longer. GERD is frequent heartburn that happens two or more times a week. Other signs and symptoms can include:
Some individuals with digestive disorders may need more extensive diagnostic evaluations, including GI endoscopy, laboratory tests, and imaging.
Chiropractic Treatment
Body misalignments, unhealthy posture, and restrictive positions can contribute to digestive disorders that put pressure on the stomach and chest, triggering symptoms. A chiropractor can realign the body and take the stress off the joints and spine, relieving the pressure on the nerves. They can also strengthen the muscles through adjustments that help alleviate pressure on the stomach. A chiropractor designs a treatment plan that suits the individual’s needs, including stretches and exercises, nutrition, and health coaching to achieve and manage a healthy weight.
Chiropractic Precision
References
Carvalho de Miranda Chaves, Renata, et al. “Respiratory physiotherapy can increase lower esophageal sphincter pressure in GERD patients.” Respiratory medicine vol. 106,12 (2012): 1794-9. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2012.08.023
Harding, Susan M. “Acid reflux and asthma.” Current opinion in pulmonary medicine vol. 9,1 (2003): 42-5. doi:10.1097/00063198-200301000-00007
Kahrilas, Peter J. “Regurgitation in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.” Gastroenterology & hepatology vol. 9,1 (2013): 37-9.
Pope, C E 2nd. “Acid-reflux disorders.” The New England journal of medicine vol. 331,10 (1994): 656-60. doi:10.1056/NEJM199409083311007
Greasy or high-fat foods cause distress in your gut?
Temporary relief by using antacids, foods, milk, or carbonated beverages?
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might have GERD or gastrointestinal reflux disease in your gut.
When a person is overly stressed, and their body starts to develop problems, especially in the gut, it can cause harm. The gut system is essential to the body because it makes sure that the body is working correctly, that food is being consumed, and making sure inflammation does not happen to cause harm to the body. There are many gut disorders that the GI tract and the gut system can have. It can range from intestinal permeability, SIBO, gut inflammation, and GERD.
GERD and Its Symptoms
GERD or gastrointestinal reflux disease is a common disorder in the digestive tract. This disorder has chronic symptoms that can cause abnormal content in the stomach that is in the esophagus, causing mucosal damage. GERD is multifactorial and is the result of a person who may either stress, a poor diet and risk factors like smoking alcohol and medication usage can cause the condition in the stomach to be chronic if it is not being checked out. Research shows that when there is damage to the esophagus from GERD, it can be due to the cytokine-mediated being inflamed and not being caused by stomach acid directly. It stated that approximately twenty percent of adults do have GERD symptoms in their gut.
There are many symptoms that people can experience if they have GERD. Some of the symptom that causes include:
Heartburn
Respiratory complications
Bad breath
Nausea
Difficulty swallowing
Laryngitis
Even though these are minor symptoms, if a person does not talk to their primary health care physician, the symptoms can become worse if it not treated.
Ways to Dampen GERD Symptoms
Many ways can help dampen the GERD symptoms like pharmaceutical interventions. Even though pharmaceuticals can help manage the symptoms, sometimes they do not correct the underlying factors that GERD has caused and may have side effects that can cause discomfort on the body. It is essential to know that lifestyle changes and any nutritional support are sufficient when a person has acid reflux in their gut. If a person has acid reflux in their gut, they should consider eating smaller food portions, as well as trying to avoid laying down after eating and not eat before bedtime.
Another way to help dampen the GERD symptoms is by using the PPIs (proton pump inhibitors); however, there have been recent studies that PPIs have done more harm than good. Even though PPIs can help lower the GERD symptoms, it has caused more problems like dysbiosis and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) in the body.
The natural and the most effective way to help battle against the GERD symptoms, and that is consuming probiotics. Studies have shown that probiotics can help lower the severity and the frequent symptoms that GERD does to the gut. By consuming probiotics in food or supplements can help the gut produce good bacteria that the gut needs while getting rid of the harmful bacteria. Even though there is more and future research about how probiotics can help the gut. One of the research studies has found out that when probiotics are consumed when there is dysbiosis in the gut, it can help promote gastrointestinal homeostasis and promote growth stimulation for beneficial indigenous gut microbes.
There have been at least thirteen studies that have been extremely positive on the usage of probiotics for gut health. One study talked about how probiotics can reduce the effects of gut problems like diarrhea, constipation, and of course, GERD. While another study stated that when the gut becomes unbalanced with unhealthy harmful bacteria, that probiotics can help restore the gut balance. It stated that probiotics that secrete out a protective substance that turn on the immune system and preventing the harmful pathogens that harm the gut and causing chronic discomfort for not only the gut but also for the body.
Conclusion
With new and upcoming research on how to dampen the effects GERD causes in the gut, patients can consume probiotics to restore their gut health. When chronic inflammation in the gut, it can cause the person to feel bad, and it can lead to many threating symptoms on the body. By consuming probiotics, it can dampen the effects and produce good bacteria in the gut. Some products are specialized in the gastrointestinal system by providing support to the gut and offer nutrients, enzymatic cofactors and phytonutrients to not only the gut but also the body.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Publishing, Harvard Health. �Do PPIs Have Long-Term Side Effects?� Harvard Health, Jan. 2009, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/do-ppis-have-long-term-side-effects.
Publishing, Harvard Health. �Should You Take Probiotics?� Harvard Health, Apr. 2015, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/should-you-take-probiotics.
Cheng, Jing, and Arthur C. Ouwehand. �Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Probiotics: A Systematic Review.� MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2 Jan. 2020, www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/1/132/htm.
Dunbar, Kerry B., et al. �Histologic Changes in the Esophagus in Patients With GERD.� JAMA, American Medical Association, 17 May 2016, jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2521970.
Jurgelewicz, Michael. �New Review Investigates the Role of Probiotics in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).� Designs for Health, 17 Jan. 2020, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1189.
MacGill, Markus. �GERD: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.� Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 18 Jan. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/14085.php.
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