GERD Diagnosis and Tests

  • GERD
    Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder. Gastroesophageal refers to the stomach and esophagus (food pipe). Reflux means to flow back or return. Gastroesophageal reflux is a condition in which the contents of the stomach (in liquid form) backs up or refluxes into the esophagus.  
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 29 July 2015

How is GERD diagnosed?

Medical History
Your doctor will begin assessing you for GERD by reviewing your symptoms. If you are frequently experiencing classic GERD symptoms, your doctor can diagnose you on that basis.

The two most common symptoms are:

  • Heartburn. 
  • Regurgitation

Lab tests
People with severe symptoms may need to undergo tests that can both verify GERD and help doctors assess the scope of the problem. These tests include:

Barium X-rays: The patient is asked to drink barium liquid before being X-rayed, which offers greater clarity than a standard X-ray. This imaging test can detect abnormalities or erosion in the esophagus due to acid reflux.

Endoscopy: A tube with a tiny camera is inserted through the mouth and down the throat. Doctors can use the camera to look inside the esophagus and see any damage or problems caused by reflux.

pH monitoring: A device is placed inside the esophagus to measure how often and to what extent reflux occurs. In the past, the device was placed into the esophagus through the nose by means of a catheter, which the patient had to wear for 24 hours or more. New techniques have created a "capsule" that is attached to the esophagus wall and sends readings to a monitoring unit the patient carries around. The capsule falls off within a couple of days and passes through the patient's system normally. 

 

 

Community
Kidney, Urinary, Gastro Intestinal, Liver
Condition
GERD
Changed
Mon, 08/14/2017 - 21:34

Stories

  • किस तरह से बढ़ती आयु आंत और स्वास्थ्य को प्रभावित करती है
    हम अकसर सुनते हैं कि बुजुर्ग लोगों को कब्ज, एसिड रिफ्लक्स (अम्ल प्रतिवाह), निगलने में कठिनाई, अल्सर इत्यादि जैसी पाचन संबंधी समस्याओं से जूझना पड़ता है। डॉ। देवेंद्र देसाई, हिंदुजा अस्पताल, खार (मुंबई) में गैस्ट्रोएंटरोलॉजी के सलाहकार, हैं - इस लेख में वे उम्र बढ़ने का आंत के स्वास्थ्य पर क्या असर पड़ता है, इस पर चर्चा कर रहे हैं। प्रचलित परिभाषा के अनुसार अगर किसी व्यक्ति की उम्र 65 वर्ष या अधिक हो तो हम उन्हें बुज़ुर्ग (सीनियर/ वरिष्ठ ) मानते हैं। विश्व की आबादी में बुजुर्गों का अनुपात बढ़ रहा…
  • How Age Impacts Gut Health and Digestive Issues
    We often hear elderly people struggling with digestive issues like constipation, acid reflux, difficulty in swallowing, ulcers and more. Dr. Devendra Desai, Consultant in Gastroenterology at Hinduja Hospital, Khar explains how aging impacts gut health. An elderly person is defined as age of 65 years or above. The predicted global population above the age of 80 years is expected to be 17% by 2050. How does ageing affect our gut? Aging affects most of the gastrointestinal tract. Starting with…
  • इन भोजन के जरिए अम्ल प्रतिवाह (एसिड रिफ्लक्स) को नियंत्रित करें
    सीने में जलन की समस्या से निपटने के लिए पोषण विशेषज्ञा कोहिला गोविंदाराजु बताती हैं कि कुछ आसान व्यंजनों और जीवन शैली में बदलाव से इस समस्या से निपटा जा सकता है। अम्ल प्रतिवाह (एसिड रिफ्लक्स) की समस्या से पीड़ित लोगों का खाने का मजा अक्सर तकलीफ में बदल जाता है। अम्ल प्रतिवाह तब होता है जब पेट का अम्ल और पाचन एंजाइम,खाने की नली में उल्टी ओर बहते हैं औरपेट की परत को तकलीफ पहुंचाते हैं। यह निचली एसोफैगल मांसपेशी के ठीक से काम न करने के कारण होता है। यह मांसपेशी पेट के एसिड को पेट में रखने का काम…
  • The Gut-Brain Axis: How Mental Health Affects Digestive Disorders
    There is increased evidence and understanding that chronic digestive disorders like IBS, IBD and gastrophageal reflux cannot be separated from the psychological wellbeing of a person. In light of this, we spoke to Dr. Naresh Bhat, a pioneering gastroentrologist and Dr. Girish Chandra, a Psychiatrist.    Dr. Naresh Bhat, Chief of Gastroentrology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru There are several disorders which are referred as Gut Brain Axis or Functional GI disorders. They can affect…
  • Image of Papads or Popaddams to show an unhealthy snack
    4 लोकप्रिय अस्वास्थ्यकर स्नैक्स जिनका सीमित सेवन करना चाहिए
    मीनू अग्रवाल सिंगापुर स्थित एक नैदानिक आहार और पोषण विशेषज्ञा हैं. उनका मानना है कि फिट रहने के लिए जंक फूड के सेवन को नियंत्रित करने की सख्त ज़रूरत है. वे मधुमेह, कोलेस्ट्रॉल, अम्लता और उच्च रक्तचाप जैसी बीमारियों और अन्य जटिलताओं से मुक्त होने की सलाह देती हैं और स्वास्थ्यकर स्नैक्स के विकल्प सुझाती हैं. जंक फूड ऐसे खाद्य पदार्थों को कहते हैं जिनमें आवश्यक पोषक तत्व कम हो और कैलोरी और सोडियम की मात्रा ज्यादा हो". जंक फूड में प्रोटीन, विटामिन या खनिज की मात्रा बहुत कम या नहीं के बराबर होती है…
  • Diet Changes That Helped Them Manage Chronic Conditions
    Diet changes are an integral part of management of many chronic conditions. Here are real life experiences of eight women who incorporated diet and nutrition changes in their disease management regimen.  Celiac Disease When Jeeva Anna George was diagnosed with Celiac disease, an uncommon digestive disorder causing inflammation of the small intestine, her whole life began revolving around food. Here she talks at length about her personal journey and how she learnt the hard way to control…
  • Diwali nut barfi with chocolate
    Healthy Eating Tips and Quick Recipes For Diwali
    Are you in a panic about making Diwali mithai last minute? Or worried about the weight you will put on during Diwali or the indigestion, acidity you go through? Sujata Din, a Certified Holistic Health Coach shares two simple recipes of nutritious sweets and practical tips to help you through the festive season. It's the festive time of year when many of us are busy preparing for Diwali and have many dinner parties planned. This makes it very easy to let go of your healthy eating habits, as you…
  • My Vegan Diet Story Reads Happy, Lighter and Healthy
    Asha Sarella, a Bengaluru-based Bharatanatyam dancer, movement therapist, and a counsellor, talks about how her life changed after embracing a vegan diet. I just finished my dance practice and I feel so good. This was not the case few years ago. I had joint pains, heart burns and I was also overweight. My body would feel heavy, stiff and tired. I went to a Naturopathy (vegan) doctor with all these concerns; he examined me and asked me to do food testing for 3 days. He asked me to make some food…
  • Image of Papads or Popaddams to show an unhealthy snack
    4 Popular Unhealthy Snacks You Really Should Limit
    Meenu Agarwal, a clinical dietitian and nutritionist based in Singapore, advises on controlling consumption of junk food to stay fit and free from ailments like diabetes, cholesterol, acidity, hypertension and other complications and offers healthier options. Junk food is defined as “any food, which is low in essential nutrients and high in everything else - calories and sodium". Junk foods contain little or no proteins, vitamins or minerals but are rich in salt, sugar, fats and are high in…
  • A Healthy Gut for a Happy State of Mind
    By maintaining a healthy gut or gastrointestinal tract, you can ward off a host of uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, flatulence and constipation and conditions like bowel cancer, Depression and IBS. Tips from Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju. The importance of gut health Gut health is important. The health of the body starts with the gut to help reduce the risk of conditions like bowel cancer, constipation, etc. The food you consume is broken down to fats, proteins, and simple carbohydrates…