Esophageal reflux is medically known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which usually cannot be cured on its own. General treatment, medication, surgery and other methods are commonly used in clinical practice.
1. General treatment: patients with GERD need to adjust their living and eating habits, strengthen exercise, strictly control weight, and avoid strong coffee, chocolate, cold and spicy foods and high-fat foods, so as to avoid inducing reflux. Meanwhile, they should quit smoking and drinking, keep regular diet and avoid eating before bedtime. Normally, the head of the bed can be elevated, which can relieve the symptoms of reflux.
2. Drug therapy: patients can take acid inhibitors such as proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole, rabeprazole, etc.) and H2 receptor antagonists (such as ranitidine, famotidine, etc.) to inhibit gastric acid secretion and reduce the concentration of gastric acid in the stomach; patients with gastric emptying disorders can also take pro-dynamic medications (domperidone, mosapride, etc.) to promote the discharge of gastric acid and reduce the occurrence of reflux.
In addition, mucosal protective agents, such as magnesium aluminum carbonate, aluminum thioglycollate, etc., can also be taken to relieve the pain caused by mucosal damage due to reflux. Patients with Helicobacter pylori infection can also take amoxicillin, metronidazole and other antibiotics for Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment.
3. Surgery: Surgery can be considered for patients who are unwilling to take medication for a long period of time or who have combined with esophageal hiatus.
Patients with GERD are advised to seek medical treatment in time, and the medication should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.