Acid reflux symptoms are not pleasant to experience. Imagine splashing your eyes with lemon juice several times a week. This is what happens when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. Patients wake up in the middle of the night with burning pain in their chest radiating up to their throat. Occasionally, pain is so severe that it mimics a heart attack. Heartburn sufferers cannot eat properly for fear of acid reflux symptom recurrence. Over time, patients become dependent on escalating doses of tums and antacid medications.
Antacids medications have with significant side effects when taken over long periods of time. Second, recurrent acid reflux events burn the delicate esophageal lining. The inner lining of the esophagus does not tolerate.
As a result, the lining becomes inflamed. Inflammation of the esophagus also called esophagitis leads to ulceration, bleeding and stricture formation. A stricture is a narrowing in the esophageal lumen. A stricture results in difficulty swallowing food as well vomiting and bad odor breath. Third, untreated acid reflux may lead to esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer is rising in incidence in Houston. Early diagnosis and control of acid reflux prevents cancer. In summary, acid reflux is not simply a nuisance.
A serious, although relatively rare, complication of esophagitis is that scar tissue — known as strictures — can narrow the esophagus, making it difficult to swallow. Strictures may need to be treated by inserting an endoscope into the esophagus and inflating a balloon to dilate the passage so that food can pass through.
In this condition, the cells in the esophageal lining change to become more like cells in the intestines. If you are diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease, your doctor will probably make several recommendations to reduce your symptoms and protect you from developing complications. You may be told to make the following changes to your diet and lifestyle:.
Your doctor may also prescribe proton pump inhibitors PPIs. These drugs reduce the amount of acid produced by your stomach, so the severity of your symptoms will be reduced.
If your esophagus is irritated, taking PPIs to reduce acidity can give the esophageal lining a chance to heal. In most people, the esophagus can heal itself very effectively if the source of irritation is removed.
You may also be told to take prokinetics , which cause the stomach to empty more quickly. In this way, the acid that is produced when you eat is quickly carried away from the inflamed esophagus. In very severe cases of GERD, surgery may be required. Surgery can strengthen the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES to prevent acid from escaping from the stomach.
A long, flexible tube with a tiny camera attached to the end is inserted into your mouth and passed down your throat to enable a doctor to examine your upper digestive tract. You are given a sedative to help you relax. There is no consensus regarding who should have an upper endoscopy to look for Barrett's in the absence of worrisome symptoms, such as food sticking in your throat, weight loss, or pain from swallowing.
In fact, most gastroenterology societies believe there is no definitive evidence that a screening endoscopy can help you live a longer, healthier life. However, men with multiple risk factors for Barrett's may consider an endoscopy to rule out this condition. These include age over 50 , race Caucasians are at a higher risk , daily or nighttime reflux, hiatal hernia, and obesity. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
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