Many
people suffer from heartburns, acidity, chest pain
and the like. However, very few people know that
these may just be the symptoms of another type of
disorder called as GERD. It is difficult to
diagnose GERD, if the patients don't attribute the
constant heartburns and other related ailments to
their proper cause. However, GERD comes to light
when the pain becomes unbearable and consistent.
The doctors then try different ways of
diagnosing GERD, when they are approached by
patients suffering from symptoms brought on by
this disorder.
GERD
- An Overview:
GERD
or gastroesophageal reflux disease is caused when
the gastric juices reflux to the esophagus from
the stomach. This typically causes the signature
heartburn symptom in most patients. However,
patients suffering from GERD can also suffer from
serious chest pain, nausea, vomiting, coughing,
wheezing and more. Some may also get unpleasant
acidic taste in their mouth because of GERD. GERD
can cause many complications if it is left
untreated. The main reason why GERD goes untreated
is that it does not get properly diagnosed. If you
suspect that you have GERD, it is extremely
essential that you consult your doctor who can use
different ways of diagnosing GERD.
Read
More about GERD
Read
More about GERD
complications
GERD
Diagnosis:
1)
Introspection: People suffering from GERD
cannot help but introspect their behavior more
closely if they suffer from constant bouts of this
disorder. Usually, the first diagnosis
is done by
the patients themselves, even if they don't know
the name of the disorder from which they suffer.
Usually, the doctor takes note of the symptoms
mentioned by the patient to form a tentative
diagnosis of his own. Introspection is essential
as it can help the doctor to start the treatment
before getting the official results.
2)
Medical check up of the patient: Your doctor will usually
prepare his report on the basis of complete
medical check up, which will include barium
swallow x-rays, EGD or Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
, this is also a form of
endoscopy which allows the doctor to see what is
going on in your stomach that may be leading to
GERD. This type of test is used only when the
patient suffers from a myriad of disturbing
symptoms including difficulty in swallowing,
ulcers and more.
3)
Checklists:
Before lab tests, a doctor can also take help of
certain checklists to find out the intensity of
the symptoms and check them against typical GERD
symptoms. Checklists can be used by the doctors
who have a tentative hunch about the condition of
the patient.
Some
other types of diagnostic tests include cardiac
evaluation, esophagus pH monitoring and more.
Besides this, diagnosis of GERD depends on the
type of treatment you are taking. Alternative
medicine also has its own ways of diagnosing
GERD in as accurate a way as possible.
Alternative medicine also provides safe and
effective methods of dealing with GERD. Unlike the
conventional forms of treatment, alternative
medicine for GERD is extremely efficient as it
does not just address the symptoms of GERD, but
also locates its cause. When the cause is
diagnosed, it becomes easier to treat GERD rather
than the symptoms, with the help of alternative
medicine.
