Living with Reflux – Raising awareness of Gastro-oesophageal Reflux, Lincolnshire

Living with Reflux is a charity which has been set up by fellow suffers in aid of supporting families with Gastro-oesophageal Reflux (GOR) and Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD) and other associated conditions. Advised by our Medical Advisory Board (MAB). Along side this we provide support, information and educational recourses for medical professionals at large.

Living with Reflux was first registered with Companies House, as a private company limited by guarantee (non profit organisation) on the 18th February 2008.

On the 9th October 2009 Living with Reflux was further registered with the regulator for charities in England and Wales – The Charities Commission.

Our company aims and objectives are as follows:

• To promote and protect the physical and mental health of sufferers of gastro-oesophageal Reflux (GOR) and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and their families through the provision of support, education and practical advice and promoting research into causes, treatments and possible cures of GOR and GORD;
• To advance the education of the general public in all areas relating to gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).
  

Gastro-oesophageal Reflux (GOR) and Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD) are different. By definition, GOR is normal, whereas GORD is a disease.

Gasto-oesophageal reflux (GOR) occurs normally in all infants, children and adults during and immediately after meals. GOR refers to the contents of the stomach washing back up from the stomach into the oesophagus. It can wash up to the throat, and even be ejected out of the mouth;

Gasto-oesophageal Reflux (GORD) is present when there are symptoms or signs that are troublesome, or severe, or chronic, or when complications are present.
These symptoms might include:

• Recurrent forceful vomiting
• Vomiting of blood
• Chronic cough
• Chronic irritability
  

Such symptoms might indicate that reflux is severe enough to be causing a complication, such as inflammation of the oesophagus, known as ‘oesophagitis’.