Obesity can affect many aspects of your life, including your stomach because the pressure from excess weight can lead to GERD, which causes acid reflux several times a week.
Weight loss can resolve GERD, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. When you need next-level assistance to reach a healthy weight, Dr. Robert Snow and our team at Snow Bariatric Center in Fort Worth and Flower Mound, Texas, can help. If you’re at least 100 pounds overweight and your health is at risk, we offer weight loss surgery to help you reach your goal and resolve your weight-related conditions, including GERD. Here’s what you need to know.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, causes the contents in your stomach to back up into your esophagus, irritating the tissues in your esophagus, mouth, and throat.
The main cause of GERD is a faulty muscle at the bottom of your esophagus. Normally, this muscle closes the lower esophagus, ensuring that stomach acid stays in your stomach. When you have GERD, the muscle doesn’t close completely, allowing acid and other products to flow backward.
GERD leads to abdominal, chest, and throat discomfort, as well as heartburn, a burning feeling in your upper abdomen or chest area.
You’re diagnosed with this condition when you experience heartburn or other symptoms more than twice a week. If you don’t have heartburn, you could still have GERD. Other symptoms include a dry cough or trouble swallowing.
Obesity and GERD are closely related. In fact, being overweight is the biggest factor related to this condition. Excess weight applies pressure on your abdomen that can cause and/or exacerbate GERD.
This is especially true when you’re lying down. The weight of your abdomen presses down on your stomach, causing the contents to flow backward into the esophagus. Heartburn and other uncomfortable symptoms often follow.
Tight clothing also worsens your symptoms. When you’re overweight, it’s more likely your clothing will be snug, which makes your reflux worse.
When you’re suffering from GERD and are overweight, Dr. Snow helps you understand your weight loss options to help control your symptoms. If you’ve tried losing weight on your own without success, our team has the knowledge and skills to help.
Weight loss is one of the main goals in the treatment of GERD. Losing even a moderate amount of weight helps significantly with your reflux symptoms. It not only lessens the pressure on your abdomen but also helps your clothes fit better.
If you can’t lose weight with diet and exercise alone, Dr. Snow offers medical weight loss options. He evaluates your medical history and current conditions to determine which treatment is right for you.
Dr. Snow offers surgical weight loss procedures, including bariatric surgery, bariatric endoscopy, and the Obalon® Balloon System, enabling you to lose weight quickly and successfully. This often improves the medical conditions related to obesity, including symptoms of reflux and GERD.
Don’t continue to suffer from GERD because you can’t lose weight. For more information on medical weight loss, call one of our conveniently located offices in Texas today. You can also request an appointment online.
