Helpful Procedures to Determine Degree of Acid Reflux

If your problems don't improve with the medications you've been taking and the modifications applied to your life style, your doctor may expect to perform some tests to pull together additional information. One of these possible tests is called an Upper GI Series. When evaluated with this Upper GI Series, you are asked to swallow a liquid barium mixture. The radiologist uses a device called a fluoroscope to watch the barium as it travels down your esophagus and into the stomach. Most of time this procedure asks for X-rays to be taken as the patient drinks this fluid. The Upper GI test provides some information about acid reflux but more importantly, helps rule out other more dangerous complications. This process of elimination helps determine from where the complications may be developing.

The Endoscopy is another evaluation used. After the patient has been sedated, a small flexible tube with a light is passed through the mouth, into the esophagus, and down into the stomach. The purpose is to search for anything odd that may appear on the inside of the esophagus. This is thought to be the best way to identify the complication known as esophagitis. If the Endoscopy does find anything odd, a small sample of the esophagus is often removed for additional testing. This process is commonly known as a biopsy.

A third type of evaluation is an Esophageal pH. With this evaluation, a small flexible tube is passed through the nose of the individual into the esophagus and down to the stomach to determine how well the esophagus itself is functioning. The extent of the acid that refluxes into the esophagus is then determined.

A more recently practiced procedure is referred to as a Laparoscopic Fundoplication. With this procedure, the upper part of the stomach is wrapped around the esophagus. The point is to increase the pressure on the sphincter. The long term goal is to keep the acid in the stomach. This procedure appears to have a ten year success rate of about eighty to ninety percent. People with a damaged lower esophageal sphincter seem to be the most likely to benefit from this surgery.

If all other attempts and medical treatments are not successful, unfortunately, surgery may be necessary. This is especially the case for younger patients who might need to avoid years of medications. The side effects and or complications related to the surgery occur in about five to twenty percent of patients and tend to be quite temporary. The most common of these side effects is the difficulty in swallowing or complications involving the necessity to belch or vomit.

Anti reflux surgery may not fix the problem long term. The repairs may break down very much like the repairs required for other situations. The recurrence rate seems to be around ten to thirty percent over a twenty year period. With some unfortunate folks, their reflux symptoms will continue even after the surgery which necessitates continuation of the medications.

With heartburn, there are a few suggestions one can use to measure the severity of their acid reflux before consulting a doctor. For the safest results, be sure to involve your doctor in making any final decisions. To help determine your degree of heartburn symptoms, measure how long a session of heartburn lasts, how often it occurs, and how intense it is when it does occur. The answers to these questions will help when consulting your doctor.