Surgery For Acid Reflux A Good Idea
March 27th, 2008Surgery For Acid Reflux - A Good Idea
GERD is an extremely painful disease that affects millions of people. The medical name for GERD is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. It has many different symptoms that mimic other illnesses, making it difficult to diagnose by physicians.
Symptoms of GERD vary from person to person, therefore physicians will not write a prescription right away. If he or she is not sure, over the counter medications will be recommended.
Most of the time, these work to reduce or eliminate the symptoms, however, in severe cases, the over the counter remedies do not work and the patient continues to suffer terribly and require further tests.
The tests for GERD are both invasive and expensive. Doctors will try everything else before performing these tests. When all else fails, procedures like x-rays with a barium swallow, an upper gastrointestinal x-ray series, an upper endoscopies, an esophageal manometry, and a 24-hour pH are common tests that are used to diagnose GERD.
After the diagnosis of GERD, the physician will advise the patient of his or her options for treatment. For those who have moderate severe symptoms, over the counter and prescription drugs along with lifestyle changes will be recommended.
For patients who suffer from GERD so severe that they are in constant pain, the physician may recommend surgery.
The surgery for GERD is both invasive and painful.
Read Full Article Here: Surgery For Acid Reflux A Good Idea