Medications that most
effectively reduce and can often times
eliminate secretion of stomach acid and can
also increase the strength of the LES
muscle.
Located at the lower end of the
esophagus, the LES muscle, or the lower
esophageal sphincter, is meant to only open
when food or liquid is passing into the
stomach.
However, sometimes the LES muscle
is too weak to stay completely closed and
this is what allows the regurgitation of
food and liquid back into the esophagus
causing acid reflux disease or GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Medications
such as Reglan and Urecholine are used for
acid reflux disease treatment because they
are designed to effectively reduce stomach
acid but they are most noted for their
effectiveness in increasing the strength of
the LES muscles.
Another type of acid
reflux disease treatment is surgery.
The
surgery performed is known as endoscopic
surgery and it is performed on patients that
are dependent on acid reflux medications and
have made a choice to seek a more invasive
and often times curative therapy.
Normally
surgery is a last resort and the patient
must undergo an extensive evaluation that
will include combined pH-impedance testing
assessing nonacid as well as acid reflux.
Acid reflux disease treatment surgery is
meant to strengthen the LES muscle thereby
preventing the regurgitation of stomach acid
into the esophagus.
This surgery has a high
success rate and it generally is reported to
greatly relieve severe acid reflux disease.
The surgery is typically performed using a
laparoscopic technique, where the surgery is
performed through tiny holes in the belly
button and upper abdomen. The recovery time
is much quicker when the laparoscopic
technique is used.
However, the surgery is
still serious and invasive and will require
general anesthesia. Making the decision to
have surgery to treat acid reflux disease is
a serious decision and all other treatment
options should be tried first before you
make the decision to have surgery.
Acid reflux disease treatment can, in
many cases, be effectively treated with
medications.
However, if medications
ultimately fail to resolve your acid reflux
disease or GERD, then perhaps you should
discuss the surgery option with your
healthcare provider. Don't give up... there are
many choices for acid reflux disease
treatment... one of which is bound to work for
you.
