Sentara Obici Hospital
Sentara Obici Heartburn Treatment Center: Q & As
What is the Heartburn Treatment Center?
Obici Hospital's Heartburn Treatment Center offers access to some of the area's best heartburn specialists including highly skilled surgeons, gastroenterologists, ENT's, primary care physicians and our very own heartburn treatment coordinator.
What is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) - the muscle connecting the esophagus with the stomach. Many people, including pregnant women, suffer from heartburn or acid indigestion caused by GERD.
In normal digestion, the LES opens to allow food to pass into the stomach and closes to prevent food and acidic stomach juices from flowing back into the esophagus.
Gastgroesophageal reflux occurs when the LES is weak or relaxes inappropriately allowing the stomach's contents to flow up into the esophagus.
The severity of GERD depends on LES dysfunction as well as the type and amount of fluid brought up from the stomach and the neutralizing effect of saliva.
Doctors believe that some people suffer from GERD due to a condition called hiatal hernia. In most cases, heartburn can be relieved through diet and lifestyle changes; however some people may require medication or surgery. Cigarette smoking weakens the LES. Therefore, stopping smoking is important to reduce GERD symptoms.
GERD can limit daily activities and productivity but with an understanding of the causes and proper treatment most people will find relief.
How common is heartburn/GERD?
Heartburn is very common. Nearly 40% of Americans (more than 60 million adults) experience gastroesophageal reflux disease and heartburn at least once a month and about 25 million adults suffer daily from heartburn. Twenty-five percent of pregnant women experience daily heartburn and more than 50 percent have occasional distress.
Doesn't everyone get heartburn?
Some people are particularly prone to heartburn. For example, nearly 25% of pregnant women will complain of heartburn in the later stages of pregnancy. Heartburn may be a troubling nuisance symptom, or it may represent a more serious disease known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Clues that it may be something serious include: heartburn at least twice a week; heartburn not getting better with antacids or over-the-counter medicine; or heartburn associated with food sticking, weight loss or low blood count.
What are the symptoms of heartburn?
Heartburn is described as a sour, burning sensation in the upper abdomen or chest. It may go up into the neck and mouth and be associated with acid regurgitation or food sticking. Heartburn is generally worse after meals, while lying down at night, or during exercise associated with bending over.
Can heartburn lead to something more serious?
For many people, heartburn is just a minor nuisance. However, some people with frequent heartburn or "warning signs" such as associated symptoms of food sticking, weight loss, or low blood count may have a disease known as gastroesophageal reflux disease. This represents a severe form of heartburn which may be associated with esophageal ulcers, esophageal bleeding, narrowing of the esophagus known as peptic stricture, and even a pre-malignant condition known as Barrett's esophagus. Unfortunately the severity of symptoms does not distinguish between heartburn or GERD. Therefore, patients with frequent symptoms or associated "warning signs" need to see their physician or gastroenterologist for a more thorough evaluation.
What are the causes of heartburn?
Heartburn is not a result of bad lifestyle, but has a physical cause. The major cause is the too frequent relaxation of a muscular valve in the lower esophagus known as the lower esophageal sphincter. This allows stomach acid to move upwards into the esophagus causing symptoms of heartburn and damage to the esophageal lining. Other factors potentially making heartburn worse include a weak esophagus muscle, lack of saliva, slow emptying of the stomach, or large hiatal hernias.
How does heartburn differ from GERD?
Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease represent a spectrum. Everyone will experience occasional heartburn sometime in life. However, the progression from occasional heartburn to heartburn more than twice a week, or heartburn associated with warning signs such as food sticking, weight loss, or low blood count, suggest that you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease. You need to see a doctor who can better diagnose the severity of your condition.
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