What is Heartburn or Reflux?
Heartburn is when you feel a burning sensation or discomfort in the chest, that often travels upwards towards the throat. You may feel an acidic taste in the throat or regurgitation of liquid or food going into your mouth.
This happens when the stomach acid moves up into the food pipe (esophagus), often occurring after meals or after long periods without food in the stomach. This is termed “gastroesophageal reflux disease” or GERD.
什么是胃灼热或反流？
胃灼热是指您感到胸部有灼烧或不适，通常会向上蔓延至喉咙。您可能会感到喉咙有酸味，或者有液体或食物倒流进入您的口腔。
当胃酸向上移动到食物管道（食道）时会发生这种情况，通常在饭后或因长时间没有进食而发生。这被称为“胃食管反流病”或 缩写为GERD。
What are the symptoms of GERD?
- Burning sensation in the chest (heartburn)
- Burning sensation or acidic taste in the throat
- Unexplained cough
- Problem swallowing food
- Stomach or chest pain, particularly just before or after meals
- Having a hoarse voice or a sore throat that is not related to flu symptoms
胃食管反流的症状是什么？
- 胸部灼热感（胃灼热）
- 喉咙有灼烧感或酸味
- 不明原因的咳嗽
- 吞咽食物问题
- 胃痛或胸痛，尤其是饭前或饭后
- 声音嘶哑或喉咙痛并与流感症状无关
What can I do to improve my reflux symptoms?
You might feel better if you:
- Avoid foods that make your symptoms worse (examples include coffee, spicy food, alcohol and fatty foods)
- Eat 4-5 small meals each day, rather than 2 or 3 big meals
- Eating too fast or over-eating
- Eat meals at regular time
- Avoid poor sleep quality and time
- Avoid lying down within 3 hours after eating
- Take short walks or sit straight after meals
- Avoid slouching on soft/chair immediately after eating
- Lose weight (if you are overweight)
- Cut down or stop smoking or alcohol drinking
如何缓解或改善反流症状？
- 避免摄取酸性，辛辣，高脂肪的食物 （例如咖啡、辛辣食物、酒精和高脂肪食物）
- 每天吃 4-5 餐（少量多餐），而非2到3顿的大餐
- 避免吃得太快或吃得过多
- 按时吃饭
- 改善睡眠质量和时长
- 避免饭后3小时内躺下
- 饭后散散步或坐直
- 饭后避免仰卧在柔软的沙发上
- 控制体重
- 减少或停止吸烟或饮酒
What treatments can help with my acid reflux (GERD)?
There are medications for acid reflux; medication that reduces stomach acid, antacid medications, and medication that improves stomach emptying after meals.
Antacids
can relieve mild reflux symptoms. There are several antacid medications you can
buy off the shelf in the pharmacy such as Gaviscon, or Mylanta. Medications
such as proton pump inhibitor can reduce the acidic pH of the stomach content
and provides the most relief for GERD. It is taken regularly to prevent reflux
from occurring. Domperidone, a medication that improves stomach emptying can
improve GERD and improves ‘digestion’ after meals.
如何有效地帮助或缓解胃酸倒流 (GERD)？
市面上有一些适用于调解胃酸倒流或减少胃酸的药物、抗酸药物，以及促进消化的药物。
抗酸剂可以缓解轻度反流症状。您可以在药房购买多种抗酸药，例如 Gaviscon 或 Mylanta。质子泵抑制剂可以降低胃内容物的酸性 pH 值，并最大程度地缓解胃食管反流。定期服用以防止反流。另外， 多潘立酮是一种改善胃排空的药物，可以改善胃食管反流并促进肠胃消化。
抗酸剂可以缓解轻度反流症状。您可以在药房购买多种抗酸药，例如 Gaviscon 或 Mylanta。质子泵抑制剂可以降低胃内容物的酸性 pH 值，并最大程度地缓解胃食管反流。定期服用以防止反流。另外， 多潘立酮是一种改善胃排空的药物，可以改善胃食管反流并促进肠胃消化。
Should I see a gastroenterologist about my acid reflux?
Most
people can improve their reflux symptoms by simple lifestyle modifications
mentioned above. However, you should see a gastroenterology doctor and consider
further medical tests if you experience the following:
- Your symptoms are severe or last a long time
- Your symptoms are so severe that you are unable to eat properly
- Have trouble swallowing, or feel as though food gets “stuck” on the way down
- Vomiting up blood or have blood or tarry coloured stools
- You have had symptoms for many years
- You have family history of cancer of the esophagus or stomach
- You are over the age of 40 and have reflux symptoms for the first time
关于胃酸倒流， 我应该什么时候去看肝胆肠胃专科？
大多数人可以通过简单的生活方式改变来改善他们的反流症状，如以上#2
所述。
但如果您有以下情况，请向您的肠胃学医生咨询并做进一步的医学检查
但如果您有以下情况，请向您的肠胃学医生咨询并做进一步的医学检查
- 您的症状很严重或持续很长时间
- 你的症状很严重以至于你无法正常进食
- 吞咽困难或感觉在进食时不适， 比如噎着
- 吐血或排泄物带血或呈柏油色
- 不适感以及症状已持续多年
- 您有食道癌或胃癌的家族史
- 您年满 40 岁，首次出现反流症状