When you reach the end of your Christmas day, try to avoid eating two hours before bed, said Ms Patel.
She added: “Try to keep upright slightly when sleeping to reduce symptoms in the night”.
If you keep getting acid reflux, you may have gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
Doctor James East, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare, explained: “Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is when you get acid and chemical damage to the lining of the oesophagus. Complications of GORD include oesophagitis, inflammation in the bottom of the oesophagus.
“If this is persistent, you can develop scarring and a stricture. The stomach is well-designed to handle highly acidic conditions, but the oesophagus is not designed to cope with acid. And so when acid comes up, that acid reflux damages the cells, replacing them with more acid-resistant cells that develop into Barrett’s oesophagus.
“Barrett’s oesophagus is a reasonably common complication of GORD. It affects 10 percent to 15 percent of people with GORD. And a much smaller group faces another risk – about one in 200 patients with Barrett’s oesophagus per year will develop oesophageal adenocarcinoma [cancer].”
There are innovative treatments for GORD and medications, like proton pump inhibitors, however, Doctor East suggested: “Lifestyle measures that reduce the risk of reflux are the key here because once Barrett’s oesophagus develops, it’s a permanent change unless we use some of the ablation techniques. So absolutely quit smoking, and limit alcohol and caffeine. And even losing a small amount of weight can really help reduce reflux symptoms.”
