Nonerosive Reflux Disease (NERD) - Definition, Diagnosis and Treatment

Non Erosive Reflux Disease has been recognized as a form of GERD only in the recent decade and is considered an important achievement of help the patients of specific type of GERD to get the right treatment. While the definition of NERD has not changed over the years but its better recognition has not enabled the doctors to correctly identify the patients of NERD and make the count right. With Esophageal Impedence +pH monitoring it has become easy now to diagnose and assess the patients of NERD. Though therapeutic modalities still focus on acid suppression treatments but there is a growing awareness among the medical community at large that other therapeutic strategies should also be considered for NERD.

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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - GERD - What is Acid Reflux and causes

When you swallow food, it goes from your mouth to your food pipe (esophagus) and then into your stomach where the main digestion begins. After your meal has passed the esophagus, the lower muscles in your esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) closes off cutting the contact between the stomach and the food pipe. However, under certain conditions this muscle is not able to do its work properly due to few reasons- Too much acidic content in your stomach, less than the idea level of acid concentration in stomach and delay in the clearing of your food from esophagus.

When this acidic content is 'refluxed' back to your esophagus it causes a burning sensation. This reflux can send the acidic content even up to the back of your mouth. This happens to all of us occasionally and not a thing to worry about unless it happens more than once in a week. If acid reflux is happening too often then it can cause severe problem to your esophagus in the long run.

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