Table of contents:
- What does fatigue have to do with GERD?
- Actually, what causes severe fatigue in people with GERD?
- So, what is the right treatment for this condition?
Have you ever felt that your body is so tired that it makes it difficult for you to do activities? It may seem trivial because it usually gets better soon after waking up from a long sleep. However, in some cases, the cause of the fatigue you experience can actually be triggered by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you know. How could that be?
What does fatigue have to do with GERD?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is often confused with acid reflux. Both indeed cause stomach pain as a result of rising stomach acid into the esophagus.
However, both GERD and stomach acid reflux are different, though related, conditions.
You see, GERD can be said to be more serious than acid reflux. The reason is, the increase in stomach acid in GERD is more common than ordinary stomach acid reflux. Or simply put, GERD is the development of a more severe reflux of stomach acid causing damage to the esophagus.
Because it is so severe, GERD will cause quite disturbing symptoms such as chest pain, sore throat, chronic cough, to body weakness and fatigue.
These conditions can gradually disrupt your sleep patterns, leaving your body feeling much more tired than usual.
Actually, what causes severe fatigue in people with GERD?
The fatigue that you experience, as a complication of GERD, is certainly different from the fatigue that occurs in general. Again, the main cause of fatigue is GERD or acid reflux in a severe condition. How can?
You see, when you are standing straight, all the organs of the body, including the digestive system, are in a normal position. This means that the acid gas in the stomach is still there.
Well, when you want to sleep automatically your body position is lying down. Here, the organs of the body will also adjust the position of your body, as well as the stomach.
However, stomach acid cannot adjust, because the gas produced from the stomach actually backs up into the esophagus. Finally, you will feel like there is a burning sensation in the chest or (heartburn), a persistent cough, and even nausea.
This condition then makes you uncomfortable so that it is difficult to sleep well. That is why you feel tired easily, even when you are not busy with busy activities.
In fact, lack of sleep is not the only cause of fatigue due to GERD. Take drugs that aim to control GERD symptoms, such as histamine blockers; cimetidine (tagamet); ranitidine (zantac); famotidine (pepcid); nizatidine (axid); and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), also run the risk of triggering severe body weakness.
These drugs can reduce the high production of stomach acid, but on the other hand they can also inhibit the absorption of iron and vitamin B12 from food. This nutritional deficiency can cause anemia and fatigue in the body.
So, what is the right treatment for this condition?
Because fatigue due to GERD is different from fatigue in general, the handling will also be different. In essence, you need treatment according to the severity of GERD, in order to get optimal sleep quality so you don't get tired easily.
Some people may work only by using over-the-counter drugs to neutralize the increased stomach acid again. However, some serious cases of GERD require prescription medications to relieve symptoms.
In addition, it is important for you to avoid foods and drinks that can trigger stomach acid to rise, do not lie down immediately after eating, and try to sleep with the pillow a little higher than your body to help prevent acid gas from rising back into the esophagus.
If the cause of the fatigue you are experiencing is due to drugs that you regularly take, you should further consult with your doctor to determine what type of medication is suitable and does not cause side effects on your body.
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