How is GERD diagnosed ?

The diagnosis of GERD is, like with most conditions, a complex procedure.  There are a variety of accepted methods for diagnosing the condition, although care must always be taken to ensure that the GERD is the reall issue to hand, and the symptoms are not the result of a deeper underlying problem.  The most common diagnosis of GERD is from its trademark  symptom of heartburn.  This burning sensation which usually occurs after meals is as a result of acid reflux, which may be caused by a multitude of reasons.  As a test, patients with this complaint are usually prescribed medication to neutralise the excess stomach acid, which will validate the diagnosis of acid reflux if effective.  This is most commonly referred to as the therapeutic trial, although this is not necessarily a foolproof diagnostic method, as other, sometimes more serious, conditions can mimic these symptoms.

Another common way of diagnosing GERD is by means of an Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.  This involves the insertion of a small camera into the oesophagus, which allows for internal examination of the oesophagus and the stomach. In the majority of patients with reflux, this will not be a beneficial practice as their oesophagus can remain in a normal looking state.  However, in a number of cases, the lining will be notably inflamed, which could help with the diagnosis of GERD.  Furthermore, this can help with the identification of ulcers, which will give further cause for such a diagnosis and suggest the urgent nature of the treatment.  Additionally, if there are any more serious problems such as cancers, these can be seen and diagnosed with the help of the endoscopy which makes the process worthwhile.

With the endoscopy, biopsies of the oesophagus can be taken which, although again not useful in the diagnosis of GERD can certainly aid the diagnosis of cancers or infectious causes, as they only afford examination of the cellular makeup and the state of the cells contained therein.

A particularly effective way in which acid reflux can be diagnosed is through oesophageal acid testing.  This works on the principle that those suffering from acid reflux generally retain more and stronger acid within their oesophagus.  Furthermore, the tests can be conducted fairly accurately on the basis of examining the length of retention of acid in the oesophagus, which is usually considerably longer in patients suffering from GERD.

Additional tests can be carried out by an ENT specialist on the throat.  Close inspection could uncover the causes of discomfort, which could very well be acid and GERD.  Similarly, the use of acid suppressing medication will also be a key feature of this diagnosis method, although again this will carry the associated diagnostic problems as mentioned above.

There are a range of means by which GERD can be diagnosed.  Although varying in accuracy, a combination of methods may be used to confirm the diagnosis and rule out any additional causes, as well as to allow a course of treatment to commence.

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