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Written by Thomas Gibson
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About 17 million Americans have symptoms of chronic GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), which include the regurgitation of food, nausea, and heartburn -- a burning pain in the middle of the chest that feels somewhat like a heart attack. Some GERD sufferers also experience hoarseness and sore throat from the acid in the esophagus, chronic coughing, and laryngitis. If acid touches nerve endings in the lungs, they can narrow and cause asthma attacks.
GERD can even cause earaches and halitosis (bad breath). None of these symptoms are in themselves life-threatening. They often subside when patients adjust their diet and exercise regimes, and take medicine. For the more severe cases, surgery can stop acid reflux from hurting the esophagus. |
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Written by Thomas Gibson
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Some cases of GERD have few symptoms, and won't require any testing or treatment. However, severe and recurrent symptoms do require the attention of a doctor, and the patient in this case will benefit from a diagnostic test.
The first order of business in diagnosing GERD is an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), in which the physician examines the esophagus by inserting a tube fitted with a camera into the patient's mouth and pushes it slowly down. As the doctor manipulates the tube, the camera takes pictures of the esophagus, stomach and intestine. Photographs of these organs will help to identify signs of damage. |
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Written by Thomas Gibson
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The esophagus is a tube of muscle connecting the throat to the stomach. The lower end of the esophagus is surrounded by the LES (lower esophageal sphincter), a muscular valve that acts as a door to the stomach. In healthy people, the LES relaxes and contracts in response to the act of swallowing. As food and saliva slides down the esophagus, the LES relaxes for a few seconds, and the door to the stomach opens. Once the food has traveled safely to the stomach, the LES contracts and the door to the stomach closes. This prevents reflux, the regurgitation of food from the stomach back into the esophagus. |
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