Heartburn is a Pain, Reflux is a Warning – Listen to Putting Your Health First Podcast

Drs Xiaosong Song and Nathan Allison discuss reflux on Putting Your Health First Podcast

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to Drs Xiaosong Song and Nathan Allison discuss reflux – what to beware of and what can be done about it.

Experiencing acid reflux symptoms? Take our quick quiz and assess the severity of your symptoms, HF.org/reflux. About 1 in 5 Americans experiences acid reflux with such regularity it is a disease course.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux. A continual dull ache or “lump” in the throat, a persistent cough, even tooth decay – these are the signs of something more chronic, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Reflux disease is an ailment that affects as many as 1 in 5 Americans regularly. 

In reflux, the pressure in the stomach overpowers the lower esophageal sphincter, and the contents of the stomach flow back into the esophagus. For some, it means treatment with an over-the-counter medicine, but for others for whom the symptoms persist, it can mean surgery, or, if left untreated, the slow development of throat cancer, say Health First physicians Xiaosong Song, MD, and Nathan Allison, MD. 

In the latest Putting Your Health First podcast available on all major podcast platforms, the two Health First physicians lay out the telltale signs and dangers of “extensive acid exposure in the esophagus,” or GERD, Dr. Song says. 

Reflux can happen after a big meal, because of overdrinking, or both, or even falling asleep too close in time to either. It may affect people at any age, though old age is a risk factor. Weight gain, stress mismanagement, diet, drinking and the development of a hiatal hernia are further risk factors. (A hiatal hernia is a condition in which the upper stomach pushes past the hiatus of the diaphragm into the chest. It typically strains the lower esophageal sphincter.)

Dr. Song said the most common reflux complaint is heartburn, but some patients simply feel a “lump in the throat,” soreness or the sensation of digested food rising into their esophagus. There are also atypical symptoms, including “silent” (asymptomatic) reflux discovered during an endoscopy – a physical exam that involves probing the esophagus with a small camera. 

Lifestyle Changes

For regular reflux, the first step a physician will try is lifestyle changes. Often, losing weight reduces incidences, but there are even easier changes to make, such as refraining from eating three hours before sleep at night, changing what a person ingests (abstaining from coffee, chocolate, wine, tomato-based sauces and more that are thought to aggravate reflux) or how much they drink. 

“This condition has a lot to do with your diet and lifestyle. So, we always want to modify that first, especially when the patient presents with mild to moderate symptoms,” Dr. Song says.

Then, there are over-the-counter and prescription drug regimens, such as H2 blockers (Pepcid and Zantac for instance) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs, such as Prilosec and Nexium).

But, Dr. Song cautions, “we don’t want anybody to treat themselves for long periods of time without being evaluated, especially if you present with alarming signs,” such as pain swallowing and sudden loss of weight.

One worry is the development of Barrett’s esophagus, which can lead to cancer. 

The Surgical Solution

Health First offers a number of minimally invasive procedures meant to address reflux disease. In the podcast, Dr. Allison alludes to the Stretta procedure, which delivers a low-frequency energy to the lower esophageal sphincter to produce hypertrophy (size and strength).

Health First Viera Hospital is also one of the only locations in central Florida offering the LINX® Reflux Management System, a magnetic bracelet that wraps around the sphincter, helping it to close after eating with a force not so powerful it prevents food and drink from entering the stomach.

Another option is Fundoplication in which the top of the stomach is wrapped around the sphincter, girding it for intense stomach pressure.

Dr. Allison himself performs a number of hiatal hernia repairs through robotic, minimally invasive surgeries. 

“Reflux is a disease process that can largely go ignored until it’s too late,” Dr. Allison said. “My take home message is, if you’re having symptoms despite your medication, you might be a candidate for some of the surgical options we talked about briefly … and we have a lot of options to offer people in 2024.” 

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to Drs Xiaosong Song and Nathan Allison discuss reflux – what to beware of and what can be done about it.

Experiencing acid reflux symptoms? Take our quick quiz to assess the severity of your symptoms at HF.org/reflux. Visit HF.org/news to keep up on the latest at Health First.

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