Coping with Heartburn and Reflux (Overcoming Common Problems)

This book offers advice and support for unpleasant digestive symptoms. Heartburn and reflex are all too common, affecting up to 20 per cent of people in all Western countries at any one time. Known as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), this unpleasant condition is on the increase, due to our obesity epidemic, frenetic lifestyle, and rushed eating habits. "No wonder that I see roughly one person in every other surgery with the symptoms of reflux disease," says Tom Smith. "That extrapolated to the whole country is a very high proportion of the population - many millions. And they are only the tip of the iceberg - most people with heartburn self-treat, and never bother to see their doctor. This book has a very large potential readership." Subjects covered include: the normal stomach and oesophagus, when things go wrong, diagnosis, treatment, how to help yourself, hiatus hernia, heart conditions that mimic GERD, complications such as Barret's oesophagus and when to worry, and surgery.