Acid reflux information

Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a complaint whereby the acidic contents of the stomach are ejected into the oesophagus.  The contents of the stomach often contain strong enzymes such as Pepsin, and the acids which are used to break down food.  With acid reflux, this noxious mixture is brought back up, and can cause serious damage to oesophagus in some rare cases.

Once a patient feels the onset of GERD, he is likely to suffer from it for the rest of his life, as GERD is a chronic condition.  If the oesophagus has also been damaged, this will require a programme of ongoing treatment to ensure the discomfort it causes will not return.

Acid reflux is actually a process which most people will feel fairly regularly.  The different between every day acid reflux, and that of GERD patients is the acidity of the reflux as well as the duration for which it remains in the oesophagus.  The body has an in-built defence mechanism against acid reflux.  As most instances of reflux occur during waking hours when patients are sitting or standing up, the reflux is pulled back into the stomach by the forces of gravity to minimise pain and discomfort. Furthermore, during waking hours people continually swallow saliva, which helps to drive any reflux back down into the stomach.
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Acid reflux articles

Complications of acid reflux disease
As with any medical condition, there are potential complications which could add further weight to your problem.  It is important if you think you are suffering from the symptoms of acid reflux, or if you are experiencing any unexplained adverse symptoms...

Evaluation of GERD
There are a number of ways in which the symptoms of GERD and the patients' specific complaint can be monitored and evaluated.  This is beneficial as a means of getting to the route of the actual cause of the GERD after diagnosis...

GERD in babies
Not only can acid reflux, or GERD, affect the adult population, it can also affect babies and young children, and carries the same levels of pain and discomfort we, as adults, have to put up with.

What is acid reflux disease?
Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a complaint whereby the acidic contents of the stomach are ejected into the oesophagus.  The contents of the stomach often contain strong enzymes such as Pepsin

How is GERD diagnosed?
The diagnosis of GERD is, like with most conditions, a complex procedure.  There are a variety of accepted methods for diagnosing the condition, although care must always be taken to ensure that the GERD is the reall issue to hand...

Living with and managing GERD
GERD is a condition which has a negative impact on thousands of patients diagnosed with the condition each year.  Fortunately, there are a number of ways in which one can manage the condition to make life that bit easier...

Main causes of acid reflux
The causes of GERD are not straightforward.  In many cases, there may be several causes contributing to the problem. In some patients it will be to do with over-production of acid, although this is relatively rare.

Surgery for GERD
There are a variety of treatments and medications suitable for dealing with GERD.  Along with lifestyle changes and anti-acidic medications, a possible alternative to the more simple treatments for the symptoms of GERD is surgery.

Future developments for GERD
Although today the medical profession is more knowledgeable than ever about the causes and treatments that really work for patients suffering from acid reflux, there are still some issues which need to be addressed. 

Treatments for GERD
GERD is a chronic condition which can lead to a great deal of discomfort for the sufferer.  There are many ways in which the levels of pain, or the symptoms can be dampened which can improve the sufferer's quality of life...

Acid reflux news on the Web

Inflammation Related To GERD May Contribute To Esophageal Cancer Risk
Inflammation might be an important factor in the progression from reflux to esophageal cancer, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association...

Precancerous Condition Associated With Reflux Disease Triggered By Bile - Not Acid
For many people with gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, acid reflux drugs are the answer to their woes, curbing the chronic heartburn and regurgitation of food or sour liquid characteristic of the disorder. But when it comes to Barrett's esophagus, a condition commonly found in people with GERD, acid control may be less important than beating back another bodily fluid - bile...

New GERD Device Offered At Mayo Clinic
A new device to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition that can lead to serious health problems, will soon be available at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. The device will be offered to patients taking medication for the condition, who continue to have chronic reflux symptoms. The device was approved to treat GERD (also known as acid reflux disease) on March 22 by the U.S...

Sleep Disturbance Reduced By Esophageal Reflux Disease Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy
The use of proton pump inhibitors improves the sleep and daytime quality of life for sufferers of gastroesophageal reflux disease, according to a systematic literature review in the April 2012 issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. A 2003 Gallup survey linked gastresophageal heartburn with frequent sleep disturbances...

Employing Bronchoscopy To Guide Effective Treatment For Refractory Asthma
Using a bronchoscope to visually examine the airways and collect fluid and tissue can help guide effective therapy for difficult-to-treat asthma patients, according to researchers at National Jewish Health...

Esophageal Cancer May Be Caused By Migration Of Cancer-Causing Stomach Cells
A new study is providing clues that may answer a decades-old question about the cells that give rise to a particularly lethal form of esophageal cancer...

'Tis The Season For Turkey, Gravy, Pie And Acid Reflux
Jack Selby, of Lansing, Mich., had suffered from heartburn all of his life, especially around the holidays when he overindulged in some of his favorite food and drink...

Acid Reflux 50% More Common Than Ten Years Ago
A long-term Norwegian study reveals the number of people who experience acid reflux at least once a week has gone up by nearly 50% in the last 10 years, with women appearing to be more susceptible to the condition than men...

Physicians Show Bias When Diagnosing Stomach Problems According To Study
Patients who complain of upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms often face a diagnosis of either gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or functional dyspepsia. Because the two conditions often overlap, it can be difficult to distinguish between them and diagnose them properly...

Prescribing Acid-Suppressing Drugs To Infants
Frequent spitting up, irritability, and unexplained crying in infants can be very distressing to parents. Pediatricians often prescribe acid-suppressing drugs for these symptoms in an effort to treat infants for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); however, GERD is an uncommon cause of these symptoms in otherwise thriving infants...

Prescribing Of Acid-suppressing Medication For Infants Rises Considerably
Infants who are frequently spitting up, irritable, and cry for unknown reasons can be extremely worrying for parents. The infants are often prescribed with acid-suppressing drugs by their pediatricians in an attempt to treat them for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) but in otherwise thriving infants GERD is not a common cause of these symptoms...

Acid-Suppressing Drugs Being Over Prescribed In Infants
Frequent spitting up, irritability and unexplained crying in infants are often very distressing to parents. Physicians frequently prescribe acid-suppressing drugs for these symptoms. However, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is an uncommon cause of these symptoms in otherwise thriving infants, and in his Commentary published in the October 20th issue of The Journal of Pediatrics, Dr...

GERD Treatments, Benefits And Risks - New Report
New plain-language reports compare the risks and benefits of therapies for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a digestive condition that affects millions of individuals in the U.S., and can be treated with medications or surgery. The reports are from the U.S...

Airway Function Improves Following Anti-Reflux Surgery Both Before And After Lung Transplant
Surgery to correct gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, can preserve lung function in patients with end-stage pulmonary disease both before and after transplantation, according to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine...

Proton Pump Inhibitors Should Have Black-box Warnings, Group Tell FDA
Withdrawal from PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) can lead to severe rebound acid secretion, a complication that can force users to become dependent on them - this should be mentioned in a black-box warning, consumer group Public Citizen has told the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)...

Researchers Use Neutrons To Spy On The Elusive Hydronium Ion - Could Aid In Treatment Of Peptic Ulcers Or Acid Reflux Disease
A Los Alamos National Laboratory research team has harnessed neutrons to view for the first time the critical role that an elusive molecule plays in certain biological reactions. The effort could aid in treatment of peptic ulcers or acid reflux disease, or allow for more efficient conversion of woody waste into transportation fuels...

New Study Helps Clarify Symptoms And Characteristics Of Acid Reflux In Neonates
Modifying stomach acid levels may not be enough to treat symptoms in neonates suspected of having gastroesophageal reflux disease. According to a study from Nationwide Children's Hospital, this is the first study to classify reflux and its associated symptoms in neonates based on how and what is refluxed...

Pitt Study: Esophageal Cancer Risk Higher In Medically Treated GERD Patients With Fewest Symptoms
Medically treated patients with mild or no symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are at higher risk for developing esophageal cancer than those with severe GERD symptoms, according to a University of Pittsburgh study published in the current issue of Archives of Surgery...

Leftover Embryonic Cells Connect Gastric Reflux And Cancer
The ultimate source of some cancers is embryonic cells. Research published in the June 24th Cell, a Cell Press publication, traces the precursor of deadly esophageal cancers to leftover embryonic cells found in all adults. Some people with gastric reflux disease have a greater risk of developing esophageal cancer...

First Patient Enrolled And Treated In The U.S. For EndoGastric Solutions' Randomized Study Of Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF)
EndoGastric Solutions (EGS), the leader in the emerging field of Natural Orifice Surgery (NOS), today announced that the first patient has been enrolled and treated in the RESPECT study (Randomized EsophyX vs. Sham/Placebo Controlled Trial). The RESPECT trial was designed by co-principle investigators Dr. John Hunter, Chairman of Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, and Dr...

Homing In On Genetic Signature Of Esophageal Cancer
University of Rochester Medical Center researchers have pinpointed two genes that are amplified in the worst cases of esophageal cancer, providing data to support a new investigational treatment that targets those same genes. The study, led by Tony Godfrey, Ph.D., a research associate professor of Surgery at the James P...

Chronic Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - Medication And Surgery Equally Effective
Laparoscopic antireflux surgery or taking proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole for chronic GERD (chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease) were both found to result in similar rates of disease remission of five years, researchers from Nantes University, France, reported in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)...

Modern Treatments For GERD Effective At Achieving Long-Term Remission For Most Patients
In an evaluation of contemporary antireflux therapies for chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), most patients who received treatment with either the proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole or laparoscopic antireflux surgery achieved and remained in disease remission for 5 years, according to a study in the May 18 issue of JAMA...

Advanced Technique For Treating Esophageal Lesions Deemed Safe And Effective In European Endoscopy Journal
An increasingly popular technique for removing lesions associated with Barrett's esophagus has been deemed a safe and effective treatment option in a study of more than 1,000 resections published this month in the European journal Endoscopy...

News From The Annals Of Family Medicine, May/June
Acid-Suppressing Proton Pump Inhibitors Associated with Fracture Risk A meta-analysis of previous research into an unintended effect of acid suppression medications - some of the most widely used medications in the world - finds evidence that long-term use of proton pump inhibitors, but not H2-receptor antagonists, is associated with increased risk of fracture...