Patient's question:
I am 34 years old. Recently, for some reason, I have been feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit, with a dull pain in my stomach sometimes accompanied by symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux. I went to the hospital, and it was fine for a while, but then it started again. Could you please tell me what the differences are between asthma and this condition?Doctor's answer:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a systemic disease, primarily caused by the reflux of stomach contents or stomach acid into the esophagus, leading to symptoms such as heartburn. Asthma is a respiratory system disease, which can cause symptoms like chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing under the stimulation of allergens. Sometimes, GERD can lead to asthma symptoms. The possible mechanism is that refluxed material is aspirated into the airways, triggering asthma recurrence. Therefore, when encountering patients with asthma, it is important to carefully check for the presence of GERD.