Acid Reflux Specialist

What is acid reflux?

Acid reflux is the result of stomach bile and the contents within moving up your esophagus. This isn’t supposed to happen, and it can result in some very uncomfortable symptoms. Most people with acid reflux experience heartburn.

You could also notice a foul taste in your mouth that comes from the back of your throat. These symptoms usually appear or get worse shortly after you eat.

If you have acid reflux more than a couple of times a week, your primary care provider or the experts at Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, might diagnose you with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In severe cases, GERD can cause swallowing issues and breathing issues. It can also make asthma worse.

What causes acid reflux?

The burning, sometimes stabbing sensation you feel in your chest during an acid reflux flare-up is due to stomach acid coming in contact with the inner lining of your esophagus. In addition to acids, your stomach fluids contain digestive enzymes and other components that can irritate your esophagus’s lining.

Certain behaviors can trigger or worsen acid reflux, including:

• Smoking
• Eating large meals
• Eating before bed
• Eating fatty or fried foods
• Drinking alcohol
• Drinking coffee
• Taking some medications (for example, aspirin)

At the entrance to your stomach from your esophagus is a small opening called the lower esophageal sphincter. Acid reflux happens when this sphincter can no longer close all the way or remain closed.

What are my treatment choices for acid reflux?

The surgeons at Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, offer surgery to treat severe acid reflux cases that don’t respond to medications like antacids or habit adjustments like dietary changes. You might also choose surgery if you want to avoid long-term medication use.

Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, offers several surgical procedures designed to address GERD and reduce episodes of acid reflux:

Fundoplication

During this surgery, your surgeon wraps muscle tissue from the top portion of your stomach around the lower esophageal sphincter to tighten it. This procedure can be done through the mouth with no incisions necessary.

LINX® device placement

The LINX Reflux Management System from Johnson & Johnson®  uses a device made up of several magnetic beads that attach together. Your surgeon wraps them around the lower esophageal sphincter to tighten the opening enough to curb acid reflux but not enough to block food from entering your stomach.

Having acid reflux now and again doesn’t necessarily indicate a long-term problem. But if you have GERD, it can be hard to manage on your own. For more information about surgeries and procedures to treat GERD, call Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, or book an appointment online today.