Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD) PDF Print E-mail
  • Nearly every person has experienced heartburn. For some it only happens when they go out and eat specific foods (usually greasy, high protein) for others it’s a daily occurrence. Prolonged GERD increases the risk of peptic ulcer disease, and various types of GI neoplasms/cancer which is why it is important to look into why this is happening. Conventional treatments for this condition seek to reduce stomach acid by using alkalizing agents to neutralize the acidity, or by reducing the amount of hydrochloric acid that is produced by the parietal cells of the stomach. These may improve the burning sensation, however, stomach acid is necessary to digest proteins effectively and as a result many people on these drugs experience gas and bloating and other side effects. For this reason the use of these drugs should be discouraged and instead patients should be encouraged to further explore the reasons behind this symptom. For many people it is an issue of food allergies and/or maldigestion. A food allergy panel is encouraged for most and of extreme importance if the person is unaware of the culprit(s). For most people nutritional and herbal supplementation is a beneficial treatment, for others visceral manipulation and other physical medicine techniques are used.
  • Call Dr. Atkins at (250) 655-1660 today to schedule a consultation, you don’t need to live with heartburn.