Do you always need to take medication for reflux esophagitis?

Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
Updated on February 27, 2025
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) doesn't necessarily require continuous medication. If symptoms are effectively relieved, and patients no longer experience recurrence for four to eight weeks following adjustments to their diet and lifestyle, then it might be considered appropriate to temporarily discontinue medication. However, if symptoms recur after these treatments, prompt pharmacological treatment should be administered to prevent worsening of the condition. Treatment might include the use of proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole and lansoprazole to suppress gastric acid secretion, as well as antacids like aluminum magnesium carbonate and sucralfate to protect the gastric mucosa. Additionally, medications like mosapride or itopride may be used to enhance motility in the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract. (Medication should be taken according to medical advice.)

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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Is reflux esophagitis serious?

Reflux esophagitis can be observed during an endoscopy as changes in the esophageal mucosa, including hyperemia, edema, erosion, and ulcers. The severity is graded based on the size of the erosion and ulcers, with smaller areas indicating milder conditions and larger areas indicating more severe conditions. An endoscopy can definitively diagnose reflux esophagitis, whose main symptoms include upper abdominal pain, chest pain, belching, acid reflux, nausea, and vomiting. The treatment primarily involves acid suppression, protection of the stomach lining, and promoting gastric motility, with a treatment duration of about six to eight weeks. Dietary considerations include avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, not consuming strong tea or coffee, and avoiding spicy, stimulating, fried, and barbecued foods that are difficult to digest.

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Gastroenterology
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Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease

The symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux esophagitis are quite typical and include a range of symptoms. The most typical symptom is heartburn, primarily referring to a burning discomfort or pain felt behind the sternum or beneath the xiphoid process, usually occurring about an hour after eating, often accompanied by nausea. Another common symptom is acid regurgitation, which tends to occur more frequently on an empty stomach. Additional symptoms include chest pain, mainly due to the irritation of the esophageal mucosa by refluxed digestive juices, causing esophageal spasm and resultant pain. Difficulty swallowing is also a common symptom, initially mainly due to stress-induced spasms leading to swallowing difficulties. In later stages, it is often due to the proliferation of fibrous tissue forming scars that cause esophageal narrowing, resulting in swallowing difficulties. Other common symptoms include bloating, pharyngitis, cough, asthma, and more.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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What are the symptoms of reflux esophagitis?

The main symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease include upper abdominal pain, chest pain, belching, acid reflux, nausea, and vomiting. A gastroscopy can reveal lesions on the esophageal mucosa, and if such damage is observed, a diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease can be made. The severity of the lesions on the esophageal mucosa can be classified into four grades: A, B, C, and D, with grade A being the mildest and grade D the most severe. Treatment primarily involves acid suppression, promoting gastric motility, and repairing the mucosa. The treatment course usually lasts about six to eight weeks. Moreover, gastroesophageal reflux disease is closely related to poor gastric motility, so regular exercise is recommended. Exercise can enhance gastric motility and promote intestinal peristalsis, which plays a positive role in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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How to exercise and take care of reflux esophagitis.

If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you should eat small, frequent meals, consume more low-fat foods, quit smoking and drinking, not eat too much for dinner, and avoid lying down immediately after eating. It is important to adhere to medication and have regular check-ups. If you experience a burning sensation behind the breastbone, and symptoms such as black stools, persistent pain that cannot be relieved, etc., you should seek medical attention promptly. Specific examination methods and medication should be carried out according to the doctor's instructions. Additionally, you should consume easily digestible foods and avoid spicy and irritating foods.

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What foods are good for gastroesophageal reflux disease?

For reflux esophagitis, it is recommended to have an easily digestible diet and avoid smoking and drinking. One should not consume strong tea, coffee, fatty, greasy, spicy, fried, grilled, cold, or sweet foods. It is also advised against consuming milk, soy milk, glutinous rice, sweet potatoes, etc., as these foods may promote gastric acid secretion, leading to further irritation of the esophageal mucosa and worsening reflux esophagitis. Some are also difficult to digest, so it is recommended to avoid them. You can consume porridge, such as lean meat porridge, chicken porridge, fish porridge, etc.; or soups, such as chicken soup, pork rib soup, etc.; you can also eat noodles. When eating meat, remember to cook it until it's very soft, and it is also advised to increase physical activity.