November 18 – 24 is GERD awareness week. 30% of the population in Houston suffer from recurrent GERD related symptoms like heartburn and food regurgitation. GERD is a common disease with serious consequences that range from esophageal dysmotility to cancer. Unfortunately, most GERD patients in Houston are self-medicating their disease without proper diagnosis and staging.
If you suffer from heartburn, chest pain, food regurgitation, cough, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing food, bloating and excessive burping you need help from a reflux specialist. Experts in the field of acid reflux disease, at Houston Heartburn and Reflux Center, can help you. The diagnosis of GERD depends on accurate and comprehensive testing that may include upper endoscopy and esophageal ambulatory pH testing. Testing allows your reflux specialist to stage your disease and tailor the most suitable treatment to your condition. Do not stop asking questions until your acid reflux symptoms are under control. A common scenario we encounter at Houston Heartburn and Reflux Center is highlighted by this question from Taylor in northern Houston: “I have stomach acid traveling back into my food pipe & causing hoarseness & coughing. PPIs have failed. My endoscopy done recently is ok. Which treatment can benefit me?”
Upper endoscopy is not “OK”, most of the time, when we repeat it at Houston Heartburn and Reflux Center. It is unlikely for GERD patients to experience a number of worsening GERD related symptoms like heartburn and food regurgitation and have a normal endoscopy. It is not acceptable to limit GERD patient treatment to one or two PPIs a day and hope they get better. Houston Heartburn and Reflux Center is an advocate of GERD awareness week. We wholeheartedly support patient education about GERD symptoms and treatment options. Unless you understand GERD, you cannot make the best decisions to alleviate your symptoms and improve your quality of life. Fortunately, GERD can be cured with effective and safe solutions. If you suffer from heartburn or any other GERD related symptoms, start asking questions. There is no need to suffer. Call Houston heartburn and Reflux Center, for a comprehensive GERD evaluation, at 832-945-8717.