Final answer:
The treatments for GERD include medications to reduce stomach acid, lifestyle changes such as diet and smoking cessation, and surgery for severe cases or related obesity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include medications, lifestyle changes, and surgery. Medications may involve the use of antacids, H₂-receptor antagonists like ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid AC), and cimetidine (Tagamet), or proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole (Prilosec) which all work by reducing stomach acid production.
Lifestyle changes can include avoiding foods known to contribute to GERD such as chocolate, fatty foods, peppermint, coffee, and alcoholic beverages, quitting smoking, losing weight if overweight, and not eating large meals or eating close to bedtime. In severe cases where lifestyle changes and medications do not sufficiently control symptoms, surgical options such as fundoplication or bariatric surgery, for those who are obese, may be considered.