What’s causing your heartburn? GORD or something else?

A little indigestion after indulging in a particularly rich or spicy meal is very common and sometimes all it needs is one dose of an over-the-counter medicine to settle things. However, for those who suffer from recurring heartburn and acid reflux, these attacks can have a very real impact on everyday life. In which case, it’s time to seek help from a doctor. They may be able to pinpoint the root cause as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), or it could be something entirely different…

What’s really going on inside?

GORD, more commonly referred to as acid reflux, is a chronic digestive disorder. It occurs when the valve between the oesophagus and stomach (known as the oesophageal sphincter) weakens, allowing stomach acid and digestive juices to flow back into the oesophagus.

The result is irritation and discomfort. Other symptoms include bloating, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, chronic cough or a feeling of a lump in your throat.

GORD can be triggered and exacerbated by a number of factors including:

• Obesity or pregnancy: This can increase abdominal pressure
• Hiatal hernia: This causes the upper part of the stomach to push above the diaphragm
• Certain medication: Medication such as calcium-channel blockers or ibuprofen can trigger an attack
• Lifestyle factors: Smoking, stress, and spicy foods are common triggers, as are coffee and alcohol

Common confusion

Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori is a common bacterial infection which shares several symptoms with GORD, such as upper abdominal burning, bloating and indigestion. For this reason, many people may mistakenly seek treatment for GORD when in fact their symptoms are caused by H. pylori – a completely different medical condition.

A personalised and proactive approach

Here at YourGP we are happy to offer a helicobacter test to rule out this infection as a possible cause of your symptoms. If the the test results are positive, we can prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.

If the results are negative, we can work with you to assess your current lifestyle and diet, strategically eliminating certain foods and carefully reintroducing them, for example.

If symptoms persist, we can then prescribe medication such as omeprazole to help control the symptoms of GORD.

Speak to the health experts

If feelings of indigestion and discomfort are having a negative impact on your life and you would like to speak to a health expert about getting to the root cause of the issue, book an appointment at YourGP. You can do so via our simple online booking system, by emailing reception@your.gp, or by calling us on 0131 556 2525 and we’ll be happy to arrange an appointment at a time that suits you.