Tag Archives: GERD

Most Important Early Pregnancy Advice

Many people might start off their first pregnancy blog with a story: why they decided to have a baby (or not), the story of how they became pregnant, their early thoughts on pregnancy and childbirth.  I might get to all of that, or I might not.  But today I want to share one of the most important things I learned in my first month of pregnancy: do not go off any medication without talking to your doctor first. This might seem silly or obvious, but I cannot stress how important it is.  My whole first trimester might have taken a … Continue reading →

Where Coughing Comes From

Coughing is a common ailment that sends plenty of people running to the doctor’s office. Occasional coughing can be good for you — it can clear out particles in the lungs that can lead to infection. Persistent coughing isn’t quite so helpful. Most of the time, a cough is a symptom of something else. Maybe you’ve got allergies or post-nasal drip. Maybe a medication (like a nasal spray) is making your throat irritated. Maybe something more serious — like a heart condition, serious sinus infection, the flu, or gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD) — is hiding behind that cough. Your doc will … Continue reading →

Eat Your Way To A Good Night’s Sleep

Having trouble sleeping? You aren’t alone. Nearly one in three Americans suffer from some form of insomnia! What you eat (and drink) may help ease your struggle with the sandman. First, eliminate the usual suspects… that means cut out the caffeine. Even decaf coffee and chocolate can contain small amounts of caffeine. It won’t be easy, but try cutting out caffeine entirely for two weeks. If you sleep better without caffeine, it may be time to say goodbye to coffee and sodas! Some people are more sensitive than others; experiment to see how much or how little affects you. You … Continue reading →

Heartburn

Heartburn isn’t really about your heart. It is a common condition of the stomach and esophagus — more than sixty million Americans experience heartburn symptoms at least once a month. Heartburn is also known as acid indigestion. When you swallow, food goes down your throat and esophagus, through a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter, and into the stomach. The valve closes when you have finished swallowing. The stomach releases acids to break down the food and start the digestion process. If your lower esophageal sphincter opens too often or does not close tightly, stomach acid can creep back up … Continue reading →

What Is GERD?

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You may have heard of reflux, reflux esophagitis, or even hiatus hernia… all of these are names for GERD: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. GERD is a backflow of acid from the stomach into the esophagus. Just about everybody experiences reflux at some point in their lives — if you’ve had heartburn, you’ve probably had gastroesophageal reflux. GERD is a step beyond, when the reflux is bad enough and frequent enough to damage the esophagus and alter your quality of life. The main symptoms of GERD are: Heartburn Regurgitation of sour-tasting stomach acid into the mouth Difficulty swallowing or painful swallowing Chest … Continue reading →

What Is Post Nasal Drip?

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Here’s a really gross fact for you: the glands in your nose and throat produce one to two quarts of mucus a day. In as little as two days, you can produce a gallon of snot. Mucus is actually a good thing for your nose and throat. It helps keep things moist and clean up in your nose. Mucus can help humidify air and trap foreign matter. Mucus is actually a good infection fighter because it traps things that could cause you to get ill. Usually, we swallow mucus without thinking about it. But the feeling of it collecting in … Continue reading →