Acid Reflux Disease

Acid Reflux Disease should be diagnosed by a doctor

Acid Reflux Disease is not new, but it seems you hear about more people suffering from it these days. Maybe it's because our lives are too fast paced or because we eat food that's quick but not necessarily good for us. Whatever the reason, acid reflux disease is not a condition to take lightly. It should be diagnosed and treated by a professional health care provider.

Acid Reflux Disease is often referred to as GERD, an acronym for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Both terms refer to a condition caused when the lower part of the esophagus, the tube that connects the throat to the stomach, relaxes at the stomach end and allows acid usually used for digesting food to back up into the esophagus. The danger of Acid Reflux Disease is that the acid that generally breaks down food will instead wear on the lining of the esophagus or throat if the back up problem is severe. Increased risk of esophageal cancer has been linked to people who have untreated GERD or acid reflux disease.

Doctors may diagnose Acid Reflux Disease through a simple upper gastro-intestinal test. Once at the lab, you will be given a drink that will allow lab technicians to see on screen how your stomach and esophagus work. They'll be looking to see the liquid being regurgitated back into the esophagus. You will probably be tilted a number of different ways to see how the liquid is reacting.

Once your doctor gets the results of the test, he will likely diagnose you with Acid Reflux Disease or GERD. Treatment varies depending on frequency of your symptoms and the degree of regurgitation your lab work found.

While Acid Reflux Disease is not curable, it is treatable. A prescription pill once a day may be all that you need to treat your Acid Reflux Disease. Some even repair damage already done to the lining of the esophagus. Your doctor may feel that you can treat your problem with over the counter medication such as antacids or he may recommend changes in your diet and sleep habits, or a combination of several treatment methods for effective treatment of your Acid Reflux Disease symptoms.

So be sure to check out our pages about acid reflux information, acid reflux diet, acid reflux cause, and acid reflux remedy elsewhere on this site.