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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

is a disease caused by repeated spontaneous reflux of stomach contents (and in some cases, duodenum) into the esophagus.

Our body is designed in such a way that movement must occur in only one direction: food from the esophagus must enter the stomach.

The reverse movement is prevented by a ring of muscle, the lower esophageal sphincter, which provides a barrier that prevents stomach contents from naturally flowing into the esophagus. The digestive process begins in the stomach. Gastric juice secreted to digest food contains aggressive hydrochloric acid. Once in the esophagus, where it is not intended to be located, the acid causes irritation of the mucous membrane, manifested as a burning sensation along the esophagus, which we call heartburn. Heartburn can occur even in a healthy person, but if reflux occurs quite often, irritation of the esophageal mucosa can cause inflammation.

Thus, isolated cases of heartburn are not a disease, but if irritation of the esophageal mucosa occurs often enough, GERD is diagnosed. In this case, endoscopic examination may not reveal mucosal erosion. This form of the disease is called endoscopically negative reflux disease.

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It accounts for approximately 70% of cases. In 30% of cases, endoscopy reveals mucosal lesions. This form of the disease is called reflux esophagitis
.

Causes of GERD

Reflux (reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus) can occur for the following reasons:

• 
  decreased tone of the lower esophageal sphincter.
  Sphincter weakness may result from:

• consumption of caffeinated drinks, chocolate;

taking certain medications;

• smoking;
• alcohol abuse;
• hormonal changes during pregnancy;

• hiatal hernia.

For the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease, not only the reflux itself is important, but also some other factors that contribute to the aggravation of the situation, for example:

• depressed state of the esophageal mucosa, in which it is unable to resist damage;
• impaired ability of the esophagus to cleanse itself. Normally, the esophagus should quickly be cleared of the stomach contents that have entered it - due to gravity and peristalsis, and the acidity of the environment should be eliminated by sodium bicarbonate, which is part of the saliva.

Factors that provoke reflux are:

• stress;
• eating too much food (overeating);
• eating foods that cause increased gas formation and other digestive disorders;
• physical activity after meals.

Causes of taste disorders

A violation of taste makes it clear about the pathological processes that occur in the body. Often the cause can be serious injuries or latently developing diseases. In addition to taking medications and basic causes, this is how severe pathologies manifest themselves.

Delaying a visit to the doctor for a long time leads to the development of the disease into a chronic form. The only exception is a one-time taste, when nothing hurts against its background, there is no cough, sputum or coating on the tongue. It is impossible to diagnose pathology by the taste of saliva on your own.

Types of violations

Symptoms come in different etiologies and are provoked by pathologies and disorders. They often occur due to poor oral hygiene, poor diet, alcohol abuse or smoking. Partial loss of taste and the presence of aftertaste can be dictated by:

1. Ageusia
   . With severe damage to the nervous system, hormonal disruption occurs. Taste buds do not perceive food “correctly.” Often the opposite sensations are projected. Sweet foods taste salty and vice versa.

2. Hypogeusia
   . Due to infectious and fungal diseases, the sensitivity of the tongue decreases. Taste sensations are more difficult to distinguish. Occurs when taking strong antibiotics, or with mechanical damage to the tongue.
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3. Dysgeusia
   . Erroneous taste recognition. Due to disturbances in the functioning of receptors, sugar seems salty, lemon tastes bitter. Against the background of hormonal imbalance, it often occurs in pregnant women and is temporary.

Neuritis, damage to neurons, can lead to complete loss of taste. Abnormalities of the thyroid gland provoke the same effect. In addition to taste, smell is lost. The patient feels similar sensations during strong anesthesia during tooth extraction.

Additional Information

You can avoid the sensation of blood, paint, and ammonia in your mouth by following basic rules. It is important to maintain oral hygiene, not take medications unless prescribed by a specialist, and visit the dentist regularly. Treatment of chronic pathologies will allow you to avoid unpleasant symptoms.

If an unpleasant taste and odor from the mouth is accompanied by dizziness, pain, or nausea, then immediate consultation with a doctor is required.

A persistent taste indicates serious chronic disorders. In pregnant women, tastes may indicate hormonal changes. They are usually temporary and do not require specialist intervention. If the feeling occurs only after eating, then you should spend more time on hygiene and visit the dentist.

A nutritious diet and regular preventive examinations minimize the risk of an unpleasant taste. If the sensations are accompanied by any additional symptoms, then they are part of the pathological process.

Symptoms of GERD

Acid from the stomach can enter the respiratory tract (this usually happens when lying down) and cause a sore throat, hoarseness, dry mouth, and cough. GERD can stimulate the development of bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive bronchitis, and aspiration pneumonia.

The constant presence of acidic contents in the esophagus leads to scarring of the mucous membrane of the lower part of the esophagus, as a result of which the lumen of the esophagus narrows (this complication of GERD is called peptic stricture of the esophagus). In this case, pain when swallowing and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) may occur.

But first of all, GERD is characterized by symptoms that usually appear an hour and a half after eating. This:

Heartburn

Heartburn is the main symptom of GERD. The presence of heartburn that regularly occurs after eating is the basis for diagnosing the disease.

More about the symptom

Belching

With GERD, belching after eating is typical.

More about the symptom

Sour or bitter taste in the mouth

A sour taste in the mouth means that acid from the stomach has traveled up the esophagus and irritated the taste buds. The taste in the mouth may be bitter if bile enters the esophagus, which normally should not rise above the duodenum.

Chest pain

A burning sensation may be felt behind the sternum (along the esophagus). Often the complaint is formulated as chest pain, so it is important to make sure that the pain is caused by irritation of the esophageal mucosa, and not by heart problems. In the case of GERD, the pain is usually associated with food intake, begins in the epigastric region and only then rises higher. Pain can radiate to the neck, shoulders, interscapular area, and lower jaw.

Diagnostic methods

Loss of taste and changes in sensations should lead the patient to a medical specialist. Such violations indicate serious pathological processes that occur in the body. Any taste can be caused by:

• facial paralysis;
• colds;
• infectious process;

• inflammatory process;
• tongue cancer;
• traumatic brain injury.

The doctor first examines the oral cavity, since ulcers and lesions of the mucous membrane can provoke different taste sensations after eating. A specialist can give you a taste of lemon, sugar, and salt. The patient describes the sensations. After this, a series of tests are prescribed:

• checking for otitis media and dental pathologies;
• computed tomography of the brain;
• lab tests;
• Ultrasound of internal organs;
• MRI of the head, etc.

If the taste appears after a specific situation, surgery, nervous stress or injury, then single tests are prescribed. The diagnostic method directly depends on what taste and how often the patient experiences it. The person’s card is also checked; perhaps the taste is provoked by injections, IVs or medications. In this case, the product is replaced with a safer analogue.

Diagnosis comes down to finding the root cause of bad breath. A doctor can determine the disease both after examining the oral cavity and after a series of examinations. The unpleasant symptom disappears in the first days of treatment. During pregnancy, it is either treated symptomatically or is not adjusted.

GERD Treatment Methods

Treatment of GERD is carried out by a gastroenterologist. Treatment is aimed at relieving inflammation of the esophageal mucosa, reducing the frequency of reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus, reducing the damaging properties of refluxate (the substance that enters the esophagus from the stomach), and increasing the protective properties of the esophageal mucosa.

Of great importance is:

Drug treatment

Treatment with medications is prescribed by a doctor and must take into account the individual characteristics of the patient.

Lifestyle change

Normalization of lifestyle is of great importance. It is necessary to quit smoking, limit, or better yet eliminate, alcohol consumption. You should not eat fatty, spicy, sour foods, as well as coffee, tea, chocolate, legumes, cabbage, peas, and brown bread. It is better to take food more often (4-6 times a day), but in small portions. You should not eat before bed (the last meal should be 2-2.5 hours before bedtime). You should sleep with your upper body elevated to reduce the likelihood of reflux during sleep.

Make an appointment Do not self-medicate. Contact our specialists who will correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Causes of a bitter taste in the mouth - what went wrong?

The causes of a bitter taste in the mouth can be different, but basically they are various diseases of the digestive system. A bitter taste in the mouth tells us about some kind of problem in the body, which needs to be identified and only then treated, because the cause can be very serious, for example, stomach cancer. Bitterness in the mouth associated with diseases of the oral cavity and ENT organs.
The work of all digestive organs is interconnected. Therefore, a disease of one organ (for example, the stomach or gall bladder) necessarily affects the condition of the remaining digestive organs. The causes of a bitter taste in the mouth can be associated with disruption of the functioning of any digestive organ, from the oral cavity to the intestines.

A common cause of a bitter taste in the mouth can be various dental diseases: stomatitis (inflammation of the oral mucosa), glossitis (inflammation of the tongue), incorrectly selected dentures, intolerance to the substance from which they are made, intolerance to filling material, inflammatory processes of the periodontal tissues, metabolic -dystrophic gum diseases (for example, periodontal disease), disorders of the innervation of the tongue.

A bitter taste in the mouth can also appear with diseases of the ENT organs; the appearance of this symptom is especially typical with sinusitis - inflammatory processes in the paranasal sinuses, which are accompanied by damage to the taste buds. Some infectious agents that cause sinusitis even contribute to the appearance of bitterness with a peculiar odor. For example, the bitter taste of almonds sometimes appears with sinusitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an adaptable bacterium.

. But often Pseudomonas aeruginosa also gives a sweetish taste of almonds.

All these diseases require timely identification and treatment, as they can cause serious complications.

Bitterness in the mouth associated with diseases of the liver and biliary tract

Bile, produced by liver cells, is involved in the digestion process. If there are disorders of the liver or motor activity (dyskinesias) of the biliary tract, the excretion of bile is disrupted, which leads to digestive disorders in general. Thus, biliary dyskinesia can lead to stagnation of bile. With a sharp release of stagnant bile from a full gallbladder into the intestine, the smooth muscles of the duodenum and stomach also sharply contract, which can contribute to the reflux of bile into the esophagus and oral cavity. The causes of a bitter taste in the mouth are associated with bile entering the mouth.

Bitterness in the mouth can also accompany liver diseases (hepatitis, liver cirrhosis), inflammatory processes of the gallbladder and biliary tract (cholecystitis, cholangitis).

Bitterness in the mouth associated with diseases of the stomach, intestines and pancreas

Disorders of the biliary system can occur secondary to any other disease of the digestive system, since all these organs are a single interconnected system.

Bitterness in the mouth can accompany infectious and inflammatory diseases such as chronic gastritis, duodenitis, pancreatitis, enteritis, and colitis. Very often, bitterness in the mouth is a consequence of taking antibiotics and the development of intestinal dysbiosis. Therefore, it is very important to conduct a complete examination of the patient and, if possible, eliminate the underlying cause of the disease.

Bitterness in the mouth associated with hormonal imbalances

Hormonal imbalances can also cause various disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by bitterness in the mouth. Thus, increased secretion of thyroid hormones stimulates the secretion of stress hormones. How to overcome stress? Create an oasis for yourself

adrenaline and norepinephrine, which cause spasm of the smooth muscles of the biliary tract, and this in turn contributes to the appearance of signs of biliary dyskinesia of the hyperkinetic type and bitterness in the mouth.

Why does my mouth have a bitter taste when I have low thyroid function? A lack of thyroid hormones leads to a decrease in the motor activity of the biliary tract and the development of hypokinetic type dyskinesia with stagnation of bile, which is also accompanied by the appearance of bitterness in the mouth. The same type of dyskinesia develops in early pregnancy due to the secretion of large amounts of the hormone progesterone, which also helps relax smooth muscles.

Why else can bitterness appear in the mouth?

Bitterness in the mouth can be caused by taking certain medications, such as anticonvulsants, anti-cholesterol drugs from the stanine group, drugs for high blood pressure, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Sometimes the causes of a bitter taste in the mouth are related to eating certain foods. Taste sensations may be distorted by the use of sea buckthorn oil, nuts (especially pine and almonds), and medications based on St. John's wort.

Bitterness in the mouth can appear due to poisoning with mercury, lead or copper, for example, due to occupational hazards. Even mental illness can be the cause. Mental illness - is it a shame to seek help?

accompanied by taste hallucinations.

Causes of a bitter taste in the mouth Bitter taste in the mouth: time to visit a gastroenterologist

may vary, but if this symptom persists for several days, then you should consult a doctor.

Oh, how sad I am!

Constant bitterness in the mouth occurs in those who eat too much fatty and fried foods or abuse alcohol, as well as in those who take antibiotics and allergy medications for a long time. But, if a strong bitterness in the mouth constantly bothers you, you need to rush to a gastroenterologist and do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs (liver and gall bladder). Causes of a bitter taste in the mouth:

pathologies of the liver, gallbladder and biliary tract - bitter bile enters the esophagus and mouth;

chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis - this may also cause pain under the right rib, nausea and vomiting.

Types of bitter taste in the mouth

A feeling of bitterness in the mouth usually appears suddenly during or after eating, and can be combined with a sour taste and dry mouth. Along with the bitter taste, the patient is bothered by nausea, vomiting, belching, frequent bowel movements, decreased appetite, pain in any part of the abdomen, and bad breath. Symptoms intensify after physical activity, overeating, eating fatty, spicy, hot foods, and bending over.

Other signs depend on the affected organ, the causes and characteristics of the underlying disease. In acute inflammation, the general condition is worsened by headaches, dizziness, weakness, and decreased ability to work. In pathologies of infectious origin, fever, high temperature, chills, aching joints, and muscle weakness are possible. In some liver diseases, yellowness of the eye sclera, mucous membrane of the upper palate, and tongue is determined.

In what cases is it necessary to consult a doctor?

If a chlorine odor appears from the mouth, accompanied by at least one of the accompanying symptoms, it is imperative to consult a doctor. You should visit your dentist to find out if the problem is related to your teeth. If the dentist has not determined the cause, then you need to contact a gastroenterologist.

In the case where the appearance of the smell of bleach is not associated with disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to make an appointment with an endocrinologist and nephrologist. The functioning of the endocrine system or kidneys may be disrupted. In some cases, a visit to an oncologist is even required.

If a child smells chlorine, be sure to consult a doctor . The baby cannot accurately describe the symptoms he is feeling, so parents must take the problem seriously to prevent complications. Self-medication is unacceptable, as this can harm the child and waste time. Only a doctor should make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

That's the salt!

Most often, saliva becomes salty if a person neglects oral hygiene or simply experiences thirst, which, by the way, may not be felt. Hidden fluid deficiency often occurs due to taking medications, drinking alcohol, coffee, tea, cola, and also due to smoking. Therefore, if you experience such sensations, brush your teeth more thoroughly and drink at least 8 glasses of clean water a day. But if this doesn’t help, you need to figure it out. The causes of a salty taste may include:

infectious and fungal diseases of the nasopharynx - for example, sinusitis: mucus that accumulates in the sinuses can drain into the mouth and cause a salty taste. In this case, consultation with an ENT specialist is necessary;

diseases of the salivary glands , which develop due to the entry of streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci into the salivary ducts. Go to the dentist!