Diagnosis of GERD and Things to Follow

1. Diagnosis of GERD and Things to Follow The diagnosis of the GERD involves many different procedures and usually done when typical symptoms are present. But there also has been seen that GERD may exist in somebody without apparent symptoms. These symptoms, however, occurs in many other different conditions and hence, one needs to do a differential diagnosis so that other conditions could be weeded out and only GERD remains as the probability. The treatment generally includes over the counter medicine to prescribed medicine depending upon the severity of the situation but in extreme condition, Acid Reflux Surgerycould also be an option. The symptoms There are various symptoms which are reflected in the body when the body is having gastroesophageal reflux diseases. These symptoms may appear altogether or may appear only partially. Hence, diagnosing GERD could be difficult at times especially in the case of children as the children don’t know how to explain the situation properly which makes the situation even more confusing. 1.Acidic taste in the mouth is one of the common symptoms of the GERD. Since in this condition, the acidic juice is refluxed into the esophagus from the stomach, hence, there may appear acidic taste in the mouth as a result of it. 2.Chest pain is another common symptom of GERD. This pain results from the acid flowing back through the lower esophageal sphincter. 3.Coughing, nausea, vomiting is also seen in many cases. 4.Heartburn is typical in GERD. The burning sensation in the lower abdomen part, right after eating meal generally, is known as the heartburn. This pain can radiate into more area thus causing more discomfort. Diagnosis Depending on the symptoms, GERD could be suspected and then the patient could be asked to go through some tests to confirm. Upper endoscopy

2. Endoscopy in case of GERD is done in rare cases where other symptoms may make the diagnosis a bit confusing. In this procedure, a fiber optic tube is inserted into the food pipe and then is checked for any type of anomaly inside. It could also detect ulcer and other defects also. Ambulatory acid probe test: A monitor is placed in the esophagus and how much time the acid reflux back into the esophagus is monitored. X-ray X-ray with the contrasting medium is also used in many cases. The X-ray could show ulcer and another type of anomalies to confirm. Treatment The typical treatment of GERD includes over the counter medicine and the prescribed medicine. For example, anta acid, H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors are the primary choices as the medication for GERD. But recently it has been found that, through diet, the occurrence of GERD could be lowered, and these diets don’t have any side effects, unlike the medicines which do show various side effects upon long-term use which may include liver and kidney damage also. Reflux MD does provide you with such recipes. There are various foods, items, which may help in lowering the acidity or getting relieved from the heartburn. Apple cider vinegar for heartburn is such type of item which could help if you are suffering from one