My brother is 26 years old and has severe
cerebral palsy, he was diagnosed of having
gerd and hiatus hernia two years ago. He
has very limited communication and is
unable to explain the pain he is
suffering. Over time his symptoms seem to
be getting worse, he is on Nexium, Reglan,
mebeverine, gaviscon, amitriptiline,
lorezapam but nothing seems to be working
anymore. He has had many tests to rule
out any other causes to this chronic pain.
My question is can anyone explain whether
acid reflux is caused only by eating
certain foods or drinks or can this occur
even on an empty stomach. It has been two
weeks since my brother has any proper
food....but he is in constant pain
especially more under his rib cage,
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thankyou
Sash
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2500 Location: , Europe
Thanks: 64
Thanked:16
Hi! Posted: 06-24-08 13:13pm
Persistent GERD or acid reflux, is usually
not only related to eating certain foods,
but, results due to various conditions,
including abnormal biologic or structural
factors.
Hiatal hernia is one of the structural
cause of acid reflux.
Many bed-bound patients (like in case of
severe cerebral palsy) suffer from severe
acid reflux disease because they are in
bed all or most of the time. Those
patients are experiencing prolonged or
persistent acid reflux.
Acid reflux occurs for a variety of
reasons in people who are mostly bed-bound
(a person who is flat in bed all or most
of the day is at a mechanical
disadvantage, because in this position,
the esophagus is often on the same level
as the stomach, which makes it easy for
acid to wash up into the esophagus).
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sash
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 2
acid reflux and coughing Posted: 06-24-08 22:04pm
Thankyou for your reply. He is on all the
medication which is suppose to control
acid reflux. We do ask the doctor to
change his medication in hope that one
will help but now he is in constant pain.
Nothing seems to work anymore. The doctor
does not think my brother would be able to
cope with surgery so thats not an option.
When he is pain he finds lying down more
comfortable (he is able to sit up with
support). He has also coughing a lot now,
could this mean that his acid reflux is
getting worse?
Thanks
sash
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2500 Location: , Europe
Thanks: 64
Thanked:16
Posted: 07-01-08 13:27pm
You are welcome!
I'm sorry for your brother.
When acid reflux into the larynx and
throat, causes many different symptoms
like laryngitis, hoarseness, sensation of
a lump in the throat, post-nasal drip,
chronic throat clearing, excessive throat
mucous, sore throat, spasm of the throat,
throat pain and coughing.
If the acid refluxes into the lungs,
chronic cough and pulmonary conditions can
result, such as pneumonia or bronchitis.
