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Is it normal spring allergies or something more
serious?
-continued-
"While frequent heartburn is a common symptom of GERD, in some
cases it manifests itself in unusual ways such as asthma, sore throat
or chronic cough," said Kenneth DeVault, M.D., consultant at The Mayo
Clinic - Jacksonville and Fellow of the American College of
Gastroenterology. "What people do not know is that many symptoms like
this may seem minor but could be signs of an underlying digestive
disease like acid reflux."
GERD occurs when the muscle valve at the lower end of the esophagus
malfunctions, allowing a backward flow of acid from the stomach into
the esophagus. Without effective treatment, GERD can cause serious
complications such as severe chest pain, esophageal stricture (a
narrowing or obstruction of the esophagus), bleeding, asthma-like
symptoms, or Barrett's esophagus (a pre-cancerous condition of the
esophagus).
Acid reflux may aggravate asthma and a recent article in
the February 1997 Internal Medicine suggests that the majority of
asthmatics have acid reflux. Signs that GERD may be worsening a
person's asthma include:
- asthma that appears for the first time
during adulthood;
- asthma that gets worse after meals, lying down, or
exercise; and
- asthma that occurs mainly at night.
Acid reflux may also be a cause of chronic cough, sore throat,
laryngitis with hoarseness, or frequent throat clearing.
"Many of my
patients suffer asthma- or allergy-like symptoms for months or years
before they come to see me," said Dr. Joel Richter, past president of
the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and chairman of the
gastroenterology department at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. "The
good news is that effective treatments for acid reflux are available
that can give sufferers tremendous relief and allow them to have a
normal lifestyle."
People whose asthma or allergy symptoms do not
resolve through standard treatment should ask their doctor about acid
reflux.
Through a national education campaign, ACG hopes to dispel some of the
confusion about heartburn problems and GERD. ACG has set up a
toll-free number,1-800-HRT-BURN, that provides callers with
information on heartburn and a brochure on GERD.
Even among Americans
without asthma or allergies, acid reflux is often not diagnosed.
Although more than 15 million Americans experience daily heartburn,
many are reluctant to consult their physician because they do not know
enough about heartburn to realize their problem may be something more
serious, such as GERD.
The American College of Gastroenterology was
formed in 1932 to advance the scientific study and medical treatment
of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The College promotes the
highest standard in medical education and is guided by its commitment
to meet the needs of clinical gastroenterology practitioners.
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American College of Gastroenterology P.O. Box 342260 Bethesda, MD 20827-2260 (301) 263-9000
©2010 American College of Gastroenterology
