GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is also known as heartburn. GERD is a clinical condition showing up through re-entry of acids into your esophagus i.e., pipe carrying foods from your mouth to tummy. GERD causes a bitter taste inside your mouth. Your throat – especially its back side may develop as bitter sensation. You may also witness a burning feeling in your chest. Difficulties to swallow foods may ensue. But how long does GERD last? It helps to have more details.
GERD may occur due to many reasons. Most commonly encountered risk factors include eating a heavy meal late in the night, intake of oily or greasy foods in larger quantities, etc. Those who lead a stressful life or who smoke excessively may also complain of acid reflux. This condition results in gastric acids (read: digestive juices) gaining entry into the food pipe.
In elderly people, GERD may show up when a sphincter valve – present at the end of your esophagus – fails to close properly. This is likely to occur when the muscle which need to tightly shut the valve malfunctions. Upon sensing the symptoms of GERD, it is a safe thing to talk to a qualified caregiver or a pharmacist.
How long does GERD last?
This depends on the underlying cause for GERD; it may be for a very short time or may last several hours. If you have got GERD due to some foods, the effects may persist till you digest such food items. Sleeping posture or excessive bending actions may make the signs to turn worser. This is because such actions make gravity to pull acids off your tummy.
Those who get heartburn very rarely may have eaten fatty or hot (read: spicy) foods. GERD is classified as mild, moderate, severe and precancerous lesions. Milder version can be treated with OTC meds. Moderate forms may require prescription drugs.
Severe spells of GERD may even need a surgical intervention. If you have left severe spells to persist for long, these may turn into precancerous lesions; in some cases, these may even translate into risks of gastric cancers.
It is a safe thing to consult with a doctor if GERD does not go away, and if you witness pains while swallowing foods you eat. In general, meds belonging to a genre called proton pump inhibitors (in short: PPIs) are used for arresting the signs of GERD.
Key chemicals in PPIs – such as omeprazole – can decrease acid levels inside your tummy. This action is enabled by the control of enzymes responsible for making acid in your gastric tract.
You may be prescribed with PPIs – for example, omeprazole – either as a liquid form or as tablets. It is recommended to take this med prior to having food. But PPIs may not bring about needful remedies with immediate effect.
You are advised to check with your physician; typically, the dosage plan lasts for 4 to 5 days’ time. Also, the duration of your dosage plan depends on the severity of GERD, prior ailments – if any, your age, intake of other meds for pre-existing ailments, etc.
The duration PPIs take to inhibit production of acids is ~70 hours. As soon as you discontinue PPI intake, acids may start secreting normally. Caveat: it is unsafe to use PPIs – i.e., meds belonging to the ‘azole’ genre – for more than 5 days. Those who take PPIs through the over the counter – OTC – route will need to consult with a certified medical caregiving professional to know of the optimal timeline.
Witnessing signs of GERD after taking PPIs for 4 days is not a welcome sign. In about 72 hours, you are likely to obtain needful remedy. If remedial outcomes remain elusive, talk to a doctor without much delay. Beware of excessive use of PPI meds to treat GERD: people who took excessive doses may run risks of bone loss.
Disclaimer
Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.
