When Medications Can't Control Your Acid Reflux

When Medications Can't Control Your Acid Reflux

If you take a walk through a pharmacy, you quickly realize how common acid reflux is because entire aisles are devoted to antacids and other remedies. About 20% of the US population has gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is a chronic problem with acid reflux.

In most cases, medications and lifestyle changes can work well to manage GERD, but some people don’t find any relief with these more conservative steps. If you find yourself in this position, reflux surgery may be your best option for a life that isn’t overshadowed by uncomfortable acid reflux.

 

The experienced and skilled team of surgeons here at Rockwall Surgical Specialists has extensive experience helping patients with hard-to-treat GERD to overcome this issue, once and for all, with reflux surgery. Here’s a look at how this surgery can bring you relief from chronic acid reflux when medications aren’t enough.

Behind the GERD

To better understand the surgery we perform to resolve acid reflux, it’s helpful to take a look at what happens when you have GERD.

When you swallow food or liquids, they travel down your esophagus and enter your stomach, passing through a muscle sphincter that closes off once the substances pass through. Called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), this passageway creates a barrier between your stomach and your esophagus so food and digestive acids stay in your stomach.

When you have GERD, your LES isn’t functioning properly, which allows stomach acids and other stomach contents to work their way back up into your esophagus (regurgitation). The lining of your esophagus and throat isn’t designed to handle the irritating and abrasive gastric acids, leaving you with discomfort in the form of heartburn.

Most people can control GERD through medications, lifestyle changes, and diet adjustments. For some, however, these steps are inadequate and acid reflux continues to wreak havoc on their lives.

Reflux surgery for GERD

For people who don’t respond to more conservative GERD treatments, reflux surgery may be the best path forward. Called a Nissen fundoplication, this is a procedure in which we create a stronger barrier between your esophagus and stomach by tightening your LES.

 

In most cases, we can perform a Nissen fundoplication using minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques. This means we only make very small incisions in your abdomen through which we thread a camera and specialized instruments to perform the tightening.

When we refer to tightening, we take your upper stomach and wrap it tightly around the bottom of your esophagus, which reinforces the junction between the two areas, keeping the contents of your stomach out of your throat.

Once you heal, your problem with gastric reflux should be a thing of the past, allowing you to live, eat, and sleep normally again.

If medication can’t control your acid reflux and you’d like to explore whether reflux surgery is right for you, please contact us at one of our locations in Rowlett, Rockwall, Greenville, Terrell, and Forney, Texas, to schedule a consultation.

You Might Also Enjoy...

Recognizing the Signs of Gallbladder Disease

Your gallbladder is probably one of those organs you don’t really consider all that much, until it begins to make itself known due to a problem. When you have gallbladder disease, the symptoms are difficult to miss, and we review them here.

What Causes Goiter and Does It Require Surgery?

When you have goiter, an abnormal enlargement of your thyroid gland, there are many different treatment possibilities — from hormone supplementation to surgery that removes all or part of the gland. Get answers to your goiter surgery questions here.

Who Should Have a Colonoscopy and How Often?

The ability to screen for a serious illness, such as colon cancer, is one preventive measure you shouldn’t pass up. Here’s a look at a few rules of thumb when it comes to scheduling your colonoscopy, a potentially life-saving procedure.

Myths and Facts About Weight Loss Surgery

You’re toying with the idea of weight loss surgery, but you have some concerns. Here, we look at a few of the common misconceptions about bariatric surgery to help you make an informed decision.

The Worst Foods for Your Gastrointestinal Health

Diarrhea, constipation, gas — these are just some of the unfortunate side effects of an unhealthy gut. If you want to avoid these uncomfortable issues, you’d do well to steer clear of certain foods.

Signs You Have Appendicitis (And What to Do Next)

Most people spend their lives blissfully unaware of their appendix, but for the 250,000 who develop appendicitis each year in the United States, the small organ can become a medical emergency. Here’s a look at the symptoms of appendicitis.