I recently listened to a talk on all of the above and how posture and specific body work can improve the symptoms. GORD is gastrooesophagal reflux disease. All problems are very common in mature age people.
Symptoms are:
A burning sensation in the chest usually after a meal, worse at night.
Difficulty swallowing
A chronic cough
Laryngitis
Regurgitation of food or liquid.
Causes:
The lower sphincter is too relaxed
A Hiatus hernia - the protrusion of the stomach through the diaphragm
And interestingly poor posture - hunched over a computer, car steering wheel or even a massage client!
Contributing factors
High fat foods - cheeses, fatty meats
Acid foods - Tomatoes and citrus
High caffeine foods - chocolate, coffee, Coca Kola
Other foods such as mint lollies, garlic, onions and spicy foods
Diabetes, ulcers, spinal cord injuries
Certain medications such as aspirin and NSAIDs.
LIfestyle treatments
Food choices as above
Small meals, last one 1-2 hours before bed
Raising the head of the bed with bricks will help prevent reflux from travelling into the mouth
When lifting heavy objects breath into it. Do not hold the breath.
Massage treatments
The hyoid bone just under the jaw can go out of balance and we get a sore throat on one side.Rebalancing the hyoid bone will help the muscles in the area of the oesophagus and trachea to rebalance too.
Jaw work side to side and up and down looking for restrictions.
Balancing the rib cage and diaphragm.
A..Self care exercises for posture at the shoulders
Seated - Slump with arms between legs as you exhale
Inhale as you open up the arms to either side palm face up.
Bring arms back to the side of the body.
Repeat 10X
B. Self care exercise for shoulder girdle re education
Seated, inhale as you open up both arms to the side, palms facing up.
This edition will look at three topics :
calf and foot cramps with ideas on how to treat this common affliction
Colds and flu and ways to strengthen the immune system
And a couple of weeks of closure of the clinic from Sat 17 June to reopen ion Tuesday 4 July
Also, as of 15 June I will no longer have a business land line - 9436 0306. Instead please use my mobile number to contact me and make appointments. 04247192436