When we eat or drink, the food or beverage travels from the mouth to the esophagus to the stomach. There is a battalion of muscles that keeps the food from going back to the food pipe. However, if this does not occur due to a problem with the muscles of the throat, acid from the stomach can leak into the food pipe and damage the lining of the esophagus.
Causes
If a person has been suffering with GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease) there are chances that he or she will have heartburn.
This problem is more common among men than women. But the fairer sex cannot sit pretty with the hope that this will never occur.
When a person has acute difficulty in swallowing, it is time to meet the specialist.
Symptoms
Most of us have a tendency of taking seemingly minor health problems very casually. Only when everything comes to a head, do we then run helter-skelter seeking answers. Therefore, instead of being flippant about pressing problems, it makes complete sense to bear in mind, especially when the symptoms scream, ‘look out!’
This illness does not really exhibit many symptoms, aside from the fact that swallowing and digestion play a key role.
The acid reflux that causes the food to travel back from the point of origin is a matter that can be troubling. But at the same time, one cannot confuse this with an on-off vomiting syndrome.
To find out what is wrong, an endoscopy can be performed with the help of a camera that passes from the mouth, esophagus and stomach. If required, the doctor may conduct a biopsy on various parts of the area. If a person has Barrett’s esophagus, he or she has to rule out the change that can lead to cancer.
People with the disease have a high risk of contracting esophagus cancer, but not everyone will succumb to this. It is best to check this out routinely, to rule out any tumor cells turning into a full- blown disease of dysplasia or cancer.
Treatment
When a problem has been diagnosed, the patient is always advised to change certain patterns in his or her life. Most often a change in lifestyle, eating habits, reducing stress, cutting down on fatty foods, exercises and many more are suggested. But many of us do not pay heed to the good doctor’s advice. After an illness, we end up with the same routine and before we know it, we are back in the hospital having to deal with a bigger problem. When it comes to treating Barrett’s esophagus, here are a few treatment options. One must ensure that he or she has antacids after meals and at bedtime as well as an inclusion of histamine receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors, based on the prescription of the doctor.
While these are suggestions, it may not alleviate the problem. If the biopsy report indicates dangerous cells, certain steps may remove the harmful tissues in the esophagus to stop the spread of cancer. At the end of the day, the doctor will have the best solution in treating the problem, and one must make sure that he or she follows all the rules dictated by the doctor.