Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as acid reflux, is a digestive disorder that occurs due to the relaxation of sphincter muscle at the end of the esophagus at the wrong time, hence resulting in backing up of stomach acid into the esophagus. GERD can occur at any age, be it an infant or an older adult. People with asthma are more prone to GERD. Acid reflux causes the irritation of airways and lungs, hence leading to worsening of asthma and other allergic reactions. Everyone experiences acid reflux sometime or the other in the form of a burp, an acidic taste in the mouth or heartburn. But one needs to seek medical attention only when these features tend to hamper your daily life.

Most common symptoms of GERD include acid regurgitation, difficulty while swallowing, bad breath, laryngitis, heartburn, and indigestion.

Treatment of GERD
Though mild or moderate reflux symptoms can be pacified by regulating diet and lifestyle changes along with certain prescribed medications like antacids, H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors etc. but in certain cases, these medications and dietary modifications along with lifestyle changes do not help as much.

In such cases, there arises the need for surgery as it might prove beneficial. The aim of surgeries is to mainly replace the valve at the bottom of the esophagus which is responsible for the normal functioning of preventing acid from going back into the esophagus from the stomach, in a healthy individual. This valve that is replaced during surgery is referred to as lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The main cause for GERD is a defected or weaker LES. These surgeries help one to stay protected from severe complications like inflammation of the stomach etc.

Various surgical procedures that can be opted to treat GERD, such as

• Fundoplication
  This is the most common surgical intervention done to treat GERD. In this procedure, the LES sphincter is strengthened by wrapping the upper part of the stomach around the outside of lower esophagus. It is also an open form of surgery.
• Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF)
  This method is applied where open fundoplication procedure cannot be performed. Here, a barrier is made between the stomach and the esophagus which helps in avoiding the backflow of acid from the stomach to the esophagus, hence preventing acid reflux or GERD.
• LINX technique
  The LINX system is used to help those people suffering from GERD in whom no other treatment proved to be of help. In this method, a device is surgically implanted inside to prevent the condition by managing the reflux. This is less painful as well as a minimal invasion procedure and hence needs comparatively lesser recovery time.
• Stretta technique
  This technique helps in managing GERD by delivering radio-frequency energy to the muscle between the stomach and the esophagus, hence remodeling and improving it, leading to improved barrier function and fewer reflux events.

Finally, it is best to watch out for GERD symptoms and consult a doctor if they don’t go away after changing your diet. He will be able to suggest the best treatment plan after a detailed diagnosis.