By Dr. Brandy Rose Lipscomb

Understand the symptoms of GERD, risks of ongoing acid reflux, and how naturopathic doctors can support and treat GERD patients.

Reflux symptoms, or heartburn, is a very common condition that typically causes burning behind the breastbone but can be responsible for symptoms like bad breath, nausea, chronic sore throat, chest pain, constant clearing of the throat, and more. Even worse, if left untreated, GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disorder) can lead to Barrett's esophagus and potentially develop into cancer of the esophagus. 

If you have had symptoms of acid reflux for more than five years without effective treatment, it's time to schedule an appointment and request an endoscopy.

Causes Of Acid Reflux

There are a number of possible causes for reflux, including:

• a weakened sphincter between the stomach and esophagus

• hiatal hernia 

• insufficient acid production causes incomplete digestion of food

• dysbiosis associated with Helicobacter pylori 

• food intolerances or possibly food sensitivities

The symptoms of reflux are usually treated with antacids, proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole, and specific histamine blockers like famotidine to decrease the amount of acid produced in the stomach. 

Short-Term Vs Long-Term GERD Solutions

These medications can relieve symptoms, but these drugs are not supposed to be long-term therapies. There is evidence that long-term use can be associated with a higher risk of fractures, pneumonia, Clostridium difficile diarrhea, hypomagnesemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.

As naturopathic doctors, our goal is to identify the cause of your GERD. This might include breath tests that look for H. pylori or stool tests to examine pancreatic elastase. What you can be certain of – we will not offer you a proton pump inhibitor and walk away. We can use specific herbs and nutrients to heal and soothe irritated tissues while we initiate all the testing needed to get to the root cause of your GERD issue. This method of treatment will ensure you have a healthy esophagus now AND make sure it stays that way!