What is heartburn?
Heartburn is what happens when you have a burning sensation in your chest. This pain can get worse after eating, or during the evening hours. It can also happen when lying down or bending over. If you’ve experienced heartburn you are unable to manage or had frequent heartburn that interferes with your daily life, it might be a symptom of a more serious condition. The gastrointestinal specialists at GI Alliance can assist you in relieving the issue. Connect with our office to schedule an appointment.
A sigmoidoscope is used to view the inside of the rectum and lower colon. A finger-sized thick tube with a camera at the end is inserted from the rectum, and images of the inner wall of the rectum and part of the colon can be seen on the monitor. It can be used to take a biopsy of the polyp or tumor and remove some polyps. However, a colonoscopy needs to be done to view the whole colon and remove all polyps or tumors. It is fairly safe but has a small risk of bowel tear, bleeding, and infection.
A colonoscope is similar to a sigmoidoscope but is longer and is used to examine the inner wall of the whole colon. It is inserted from the rectum, and the doctor can see the images of the entire colon on the monitor. Special surgical tools can be passed through the colonoscope to take a biopsy and remove polyps. Sedation is required. There is a small risk of bowel tears, bleeding, or infection after the procedure. It’s important to note this is the only colorectal prevention strategy offered.
This is the computed tomography scan of the colon. The person is asked to lie on a table of the CT scanner, which takes cross-sectional images of the colon. It is a non-invasive technique and does not require sedation. If any abnormalities are found, a colonoscopy needs to be done to remove the polyps or tumors.
A small tube is inserted in the rectum, and barium sulfate, a white chalky liquid, and air is pumped into the colon. The barium suspension lines the outer walls of the colon. X-ray images of the colon are then taken to reveal abnormalities on the inner wall of the colon. If any abnormalities are found, a colonoscopy needs to be done to remove the polyps or tumors.
These are done with the fecal sample and are totally safe. Fecal tests may not give confirmatory results but may suggest abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract, warranting further tests. A colonoscopy needs to be repeated if results are positive, indicating the presence of cancerous growth in the colon. There are three types of fecal tests:
- Fecal occult blood tests detect blood in the feces that is not visible to normal eyes through a chemical reaction.
- Fecal immunochemical tests detect blood through a specific immunochemical reaction of a protein in the blood and can detect hidden blood.
- Stool DNA tests look for certain abnormal DNA genes in the cells shed from cancerous outgrowth or polyps in the stool sample.
What are the symptoms of heartburn?
While most people are able to manage their heartburn on their own, understanding the symptoms is key to managing the condition, and to knowing when it is time to visit one of the GI physicians at GI Alliance. The symptoms of heartburn include:
A sigmoidoscope is used to view the inside of the rectum and lower colon. A finger-sized thick tube with a camera at the end is inserted from the rectum, and images of the inner wall of the rectum and part of the colon can be seen on the monitor. It can be used to take a biopsy of the polyp or tumor and remove some polyps. However, a colonoscopy needs to be done to view the whole colon and remove all polyps or tumors. It is fairly safe but has a small risk of bowel tear, bleeding, and infection.
A colonoscope is similar to a sigmoidoscope but is longer and is used to examine the inner wall of the whole colon. It is inserted from the rectum, and the doctor can see the images of the entire colon on the monitor. Special surgical tools can be passed through the colonoscope to take a biopsy and remove polyps. Sedation is required. There is a small risk of bowel tears, bleeding, or infection after the procedure. It’s important to note this is the only colorectal prevention strategy offered.
This is the computed tomography scan of the colon. The person is asked to lie on a table of the CT scanner, which takes cross-sectional images of the colon. It is a non-invasive technique and does not require sedation. If any abnormalities are found, a colonoscopy needs to be done to remove the polyps or tumors.
A small tube is inserted in the rectum, and barium sulfate, a white chalky liquid, and air is pumped into the colon. The barium suspension lines the outer walls of the colon. X-ray images of the colon are then taken to reveal abnormalities on the inner wall of the colon. If any abnormalities are found, a colonoscopy needs to be done to remove the polyps or tumors.
These are done with the fecal sample and are totally safe. Fecal tests may not give confirmatory results but may suggest abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract, warranting further tests. A colonoscopy needs to be repeated if results are positive, indicating the presence of cancerous growth in the colon. There are three types of fecal tests:
- Fecal occult blood tests detect blood in the feces that is not visible to normal eyes through a chemical reaction.
- Fecal immunochemical tests detect blood through a specific immunochemical reaction of a protein in the blood and can detect hidden blood.
- Stool DNA tests look for certain abnormal DNA genes in the cells shed from cancerous outgrowth or polyps in the stool sample.
- A burning sensation in the chest after eating
- Pain that worsens when lying down or bending over
- Bitter or acidic taste in the mouth
- A burning feeling in your throat
- Difficulty swallowing
How is heartburn treated?
Commonly, the quickest way to have heartburn treated is to rely on over-the-counter medications like antacids that help to neutralize stomach acid so that you can get quick relief. However, with these methods, the medications are unable to heal an esophagus that’s been damaged by stomach acid.
When over-the-counter treatments aren’t working successfully, or you feel you’ve been relying on them too often, our GI doctors at GI Alliance are happy to have you schedule an appointment. They will work with you so that you can manage your symptoms successfully.
Healing heartburn one day at a time
Heartburn FAQs
What factors cause heartburn?
Various factors can cause people to experience heartburn. Common reasons behind this gastrointestinal symptom involve:
- Lying down after eating
- Eating too much
- Consuming acidic, fatty, or spicy foods
- Drinking alcohol or caffeine
- Conditions like a hiatal hernia or gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Being pregnant
- Smoking
- Certain types of medications
When should you be concerned about heartburn?
Experiencing heartburn on occasion is common and typically not a reason for concern. But if you have heartburn twice or more a week, it might be a symptom of GERD. In these instances, seeking care from a medical practitioner is important. The team at GI Alliance provides treatment for this concern and is here to help.
Is heartburn dangerous for your health?
Having heartburn every once in a while is generally not dangerous. But lasting or untreated heartburn may lead to conditions like esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), Barrett’s esophagus (a precancerous condition), or even esophageal cancer. Prompt treatment from one of our gastroenterologists can help improve your digestive wellness and overall health.
When should you see a doctor for heartburn?
Heartburn could accompany numerous health conditions and should be reviewed by a medical provider. We urge you to visit one of our gastrointestinal doctors in the event:
- You experience frequent bouts of vomiting.
- You lose weight unexpectedly.
- Nonprescription products do not alleviate your symptoms.
- You have trouble swallowing.
- You experience heartburn two or more times a week.
- The discomfort of heartburn is severe or occurs with other symptoms.