Don't you hate getting indigestion and heartburn after every meal? These symptoms along with nausea, belching and difficulty swallowing are all routinely associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Typically referred to as GERD it's an extremely common medical disorder with many different causes. The end result is that partially digested food, bile and hydrochloric acid from the stomach reflux up into the lower portion of the esophagus causing inflammation, irritation and GERD symptoms. Left untreated GERD isn't merely a nuisance but rather it can gradually evolve into deadly esophageal cancer. Though challenging there are a number of ways to treat GERD and reduce symptoms.

Lose weight! There's no more effective method to treat GERD. Less truncal and abdominal obesity means there's less mass to force the expulsion of stomach contents into the lower esophagus.

Elevate the head of your bed at night with a mattress wedge. It's no surprise that GERD symptoms such as coughing, burning pain, and hoarseness are worse at night since a horizontal sleeping position facilitates reflux of stomach contents.

Avoid eating 2 to 3 hours prior to bedtime. The less food in your stomach requiring digestion the less likely you are to experience GERD symptoms.

Minimize alcohol and caffeine consumption since both stimulate copious gastric acid production by the stomach.

Certain substances including tobacco smoke, fatty foods, chocolate and mints decrease the effectiveness and competency of the valve that opens and closes between the esophagus and stomach. This valve known as the cardiac sphincter closes much less tightly when these substances are consumed.

Eat smaller more frequent meals to treat GERD. This technique known as grazing assures that there's less food in the stomach to potentially cause GERD symptoms

Skip all carbonated beverages. In addition to promoting obesity the carbonation causes increased stomach gas and pressure which could lead to the expulsion of partially digested stomach contents into the distal esophagus.

*  There are many OTC and prescription medications which can be helpful to treat GERD. Many work to reduce gastric acid production in the stomach but most fail to address the actual reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus.
*  Surgical intervention to reduce gastric reflux is viewed as a last resort to treat GERD.
*  The treatment of a concomitant Helicobacter Pylori infection does not successfully treat GERD symptoms.