Reflux in detail

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a very common complaint in Americans, particularly amongst those people who eat before bed time. Acid indigestion is due to decreased tone of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a ring of muscle that closes off the stomach from the esophagus, protecting it from stomach acid. If the LES is compromised and acid refluxes into the esophagus, this produces heartburn perceived as a burning sensation behind the breastbone. Other symptoms also involve wheezing, coughing, burping, chest pain, swallowing problems, halitosis (smelly breath), and voice hoarseness, which are worse after meals or increasing abdominal pressure. Conditions that can influence reflux disease include hiatus hernia and anxiety, and lifestyle factors can also exacerbate indigestion such as caffeine, spicy food, fatty food, alcohol and smoking. Diagnosis is via a flexible tube passed down the throat to visualize the esophagus, called endoscopy, and take tissue samples. Complications of GERD are esophageal ulcers that bleed, esophageal scarring, a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett's esophagus, and esophageal cancer. Ways to prevent GERD is to avoid eating 3 hours before lying down, raising the head of the bed, eating small meals, and losing weight. Treatment includes anti-acids and acid inhibitor medications prescribed by a doctor.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by Packet Online

Related Disease Topics:

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• GERD
• Acid indigestion
• Heartburn
• Reflux disease
• Indigestion
• Hiatus hernia
• Anxiety
• Esophagel ulcers
• Esophageal scarring
• Barrett's esophagus
• Esophageal cancer

Related Symptom Topics:

• Burning sensation behind the breastbone
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Burping
• Chest pain
• Swallowing problems
• Halitosis
• Smelly breath
• Voice hoarseness

Article Source Details

About: Reflux in detail

Date: 15 July 2005

Source: Packet Online

Author: Glenn L. Osias

URL: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14865592&BRD=1091&PAG=461&dept_id=535412&rfi=6

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Surgery
• Surgery and reflux
• Surgery and gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Surgery and GERD
• Surgery and endoscopy
• Cause of burning sensation behind the breastbone
• Cause of wheezing
• Cause of coughing
• Cause of burping
• Cause of chest pain
• Cause of swallowing problems
• Cause of halitosis
• Cause of smelly breath
• Cause of voice hoarseness
• Cause of gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Cause of GERD
• Cause of acid indigestion
• Cause of heartburn
• Cause of reflux disease
• Cause of indigestion
• Cause of esophagel ulcers
• Cause of esophageal scarring
• Cause of Barrett's esophagus
• Cause of esophageal cancer
• Cause of reflux
• Risk and gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Risk and GERD
• Risk and acid indigestion
• Risk and heartburn
• Risk and reflux disease
• Risk and indigestion
• Risk and hiatus hernia
• Risk and anxiety
• Risk and esophagel ulcers
• Risk and esophageal scarring
• Risk and Barrett's esophagus
• Risk and esophageal cancer
• Risk and obesity
• Risk and smoking
• Risk and fatty food
• Risk and spicy food
• Risk and caffeine
• Risk and alcohol
• Risk and eating
• Risk and overweight
• Diagnosis and endoscopy
• Diagnosis and gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Diagnosis and reflux
• Diagnosis and GERD
• Diagnosis and tissue biopsy
• Diagnosis and esophageal biopsy
• Diagnosis and acid indigestion
• Diagnosis and heartburn
• Diagnosis and reflux disease
• Diagnosis and indigestion
• Diagnosis and hiatus hernia
• Diagnosis and esophagel ulcers
• Diagnosis and esophageal scarring
• Diagnosis and Barrett's esophagus
• Diagnosis and esophageal cancer
• Medication
• Medication and reflux
• Medication and burning sensation behind the breastbone
• Medication and wheezing
• Medication and coughing
• Medication and burping
• Medication and chest pain
• Medication and swallowing problems
• Medication and halitosis
• Medication and smelly breath
• Medication and voice hoarseness
• Medication and gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Medication and GERD
• Medication and acid indigestion
• Medication and heartburn
• Medication and medication and reflux disease
• Medication and indigestion
• Medication and hiatus hernia
• Medication and esophageal ulcers
• Medication and esophageal scarring
• Medication and Barrett's esophagus
• Medication and esophageal cancer
• Medication and anti-acid
• Medication and proton pump inhibitor
• Diet
• Exercise

More News Topics

Search Specialists by State and City