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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) occurs when stomach acid leaks back up into the oesophagus, which runs from your throat to your stomach. About a quarter of the population will experience an episode every year. GORD is often a chronic condition, which means that you may experience recurring symptoms. In some cases acid reflux causes damage to the lining of the oesopghus. The latter needs careful treatment to avoid the development of complications such as ulcer, stricture or even cancer formation.
Symptoms
Heartburn is the main symptom. Other common symptoms include:
Pain in the upper abdomen and chest
Feeling sick
regurgitation of acid into your throat, or mouth, which may cause an unpleasant sour taste
Belching
Burning pain when swallowing hot drinks.
Symptoms usually occur after a large meal, or at night and may feel worse when you are lying flat.
Diagnosis
An endoscopy is an examination using a thin, flexible telescope passed down the oesophagus into the stomach. If reflux oesophagitis is suspected during endoscopy, then several small biopsies are taken of the lining of the oesophagus. The characteristic columnar cells confirm the diagnosis. Rarely specialised acid measurement tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment:
1. Lifestyle factors such as weight loss, dietary manipulations and smoking cessation are the first line of treatment.
2. Drugs may be used to suppress the production of acid in the stomach and therefore reduce the amount of acid available to reflux into the oesophagus are well tolerated and highly efficacious.
3. rarely surgery is needed.
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