Local health expert helps raise awareness for common digestive disorder in adults and children

Happy GERD Awareness Week! Well, probably not so happy if you suffer from this common disorder, which stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Each year around Thanksgiving, GERD-related symptoms rear their ugly heads as most Americans tend to overeat during this week.

We spoke to Dr. Brantley Meier, owner and doctor of chiropractic at The Bridge Chiropractic in Charleston. He explained what GERD is and how it is commonly treated with chiropractic care.

Although GERD affects up to one in five adults in the United States, it is also quite common in children. Nearly 10 percent of teens and preteens in the United States are affected by GERD. Parents should be aware of the symptoms in order to save their children from a load of discomfort.

Q: First explain a little about what GERD is and how people get it.

Meier: Gastroesophogeal reflux disease, also known as GERD, is a condition in which the system in the lower portion of the esophagus that is responsible for stopping the back-flow of gastric contents is dysfunctional or compromised thus allowing substances and contents from the stomach back into the esophagus that can cause damage to the tissue.

There does not necessarily need to be damage to the esophagus for this to occur, but there are definitively certain factors in the gastrointestinal system that can increase the likelihood of GERD occurring in an individual, such as gastric distension, Hiatal hernias, and/or increased baseline acidity in the stomach.

Q: How is it typically treated?

Meier: The treatment of GERD depends directly on why the condition is occurring. If GERD is the result of a distended stomach or compromised emptying of the stomach contents, medications that decrease the production of acid in the stomach can be used. If there is damage to the lower esophageal sphincter, surgery or more invasive procedures are available.

First and foremost, lifestyle changes by the patient should be applied. Maintaining a healthy weight, eating foods that are more basic and less acidic, eating at a slower rate are just a few examples. The treatment from the doctor will be determined by the cause, but focused on the most holistic and least invasive approaches initially. Typical treatment from medical doctors ranges from medications aimed at decreasing acid production or, in severe cases, surgical intervention.

Chiropractic treatment focuses on balancing the nervous and improving functional capacity within the gastrointestinal system combined with mitigating lifestyle factors that worsen the conditions present in GERD.

Q: How can chiropractic care help with GERD?

Meier: Chiropractic can help with GERD by restoring proper nerve function to the nerves that innervate the esophagus and gastrointestinal system. The vagus nerve, as well as spinal nerves in the neck, mid back, and low back all directly affect how the esophagus, stomach, and gastrointestinal organs perform.

Reestablishing proper tone to the vagus nerves and spinal nerves can establish a better balance between the parasympathic and sympathetic nervous systems, which directly affect the functional capability and effectiveness of the entire gastrointestinal system.

Q: What do you do to help fix the problem?

Meier: As a chiropractor, the first step to effectively treat GERD is to figure out through a comprehensive case history and exam exactly what the root cause of GERD is for the particular patient.

If their condition is arising from an imbalance between the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system and/or improper nerve function to the diaphragm, stomach, or any other organ in the gastrointestinal system, then adjustments to the respective vertebral segments and high powered laser on the surrounding structure is the best approach. If the issue is arising from another source, such as a hernia or damage to the sphincter, the best choice is to comanage the case with a medical doctor.

Q: How do you help children with GERD?

Meier: In children, issues like GERD typically have a higher probability of being caused by dysfunction in the nervous system than trauma or damage to organs like we see more often in adults.

Gentle and specific adjustments to the spine can significantly improve the balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous and remove interference to spinal nerves that are responsible for gastrointestinal function. We see so often that GERD and related conditions drastically improve under proper chiropractic care, and that as long as the established healthy habits are continued, the results last.

Symptoms of pediatric GERD

The symptoms of childhood GERD are more serious than the occasional stomachache or infrequent act of spitting up. According to the Mayo Clinic, GERD may be present in infants and preschool children if they’re:

• Refusing to eat or not gaining any weight
• Experiencing breathing difficulties
• Starting with vomiting at 6 months of age or older
• Fussy or having pain after eating

GERD may be present in older children and adolescents if they:

• Have pain or burning in the upper chest, which is called heartburn
• Have pain or discomfort when swallowing
• Frequently cough, wheeze, or have hoarseness
• Have excessive belching
• Have frequent nausea
• Taste stomach acid in the throat
• Feel like food gets stuck in their throat
• Have pain that’s worse when lying down

To learn more, visit www.aboutGERD.org.