Occasional bouts of heartburn are common and rarely serious, but if they happen
two or three times a week for more than a couple months, they may be caused by GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
GERD is the name for this chronic condition that may lead to
more serious medical conditions, but can usually be treated if caught in time.
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The strong acid in your stomach is necessary for digestion. Your stomach has a
lining that protects it against this acid, but your esophagus does not. When the
acid backs up into the esophagus you will feel heartburn, and if the valve that
separates your stomach from your esophagus doesn't close the way it should, this
will happen often and may damage the esophagus. |
Causes | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment
Causes of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Between your esophagus and your stomach there is a sphincter muscle that is normally
closed. It opens to permit the passage of food into the stomach, but is shut at
all other times to keep the acid in the stomach, which has a protective lining
of mucous. If the sphincter, called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, opens
at the wrong time or doesn't close properly, acid can regularly back up into the
esophagus, and this condition is called GERD. The stomach's acid can damage the
esophagus or make it raw, and if left untreated can result in ulcers, bleeding,
and scarring.
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Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Heartburn that continues more than once a week for two or three months is the
most common symptom of GERD. Regurgitation or retching is another symptom, as
is a sour, bitter taste in the mouth. It is possible to have GERD without these
symptoms since some people's bodies may react to the esophageal acid differently
than others. GERD may also produce symptoms outside the intestinal tract, and
these include chronic coughing, damage to dental enamel, a change in voice, sinusitis,
and others.
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Diagnosis of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Your gastroenterologist, Dr. Shamsi, can determine if you have GERD in his office.
Your medical history will be taken into account, and you should provide him with
information about how severe your symptoms are, when they occur, how long they
last, and how often they show up. You should let him know about your lifestyle
and eating habits, as well as any over-the-counter medications you have used and
what effect they've had.
It may be necessary for Dr. Shamsi to perform an endoscopy to determine if your
LES is performing properly or to examine any damage to your esophagus. You may
also be asked to drink a liquid that can be seen on an X-ray, or other tests to
determine the acid levels in your esophagus can be done. Sometimes a tiny capsule
is placed in your esophagus that transmits this information to a receptor you
wear around your waist like a beeper before it harmlessly passes from your body.
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Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
The goal of any treatment is threefold. Dr. Shamsi will first seek to manage the
symptoms and then heal any damage your esophagus may have received. Finally, treatment
will focus on preventing any further damage.
Treating the symptoms is sometimes as easy as making some simple lifestyle
changes. These changes can include modifying your diet, your resting habits,
or even your wardrobe to avoid wearing tight garments. Antacids can be used
to neutralize stomach acid, or other medications can be prescribed that protect
your esophagus, limit the amount of stomach acid produced, or cause the stomach
to empty more quickly.
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