Are you in search of an acid reflux doctor Waller County, TX to alleviate your symptoms? Dr. James Maher, a board-certified gastroenterologist, is available here at Katy Stomach Doctor to provide the specialized services you require for this prevalent digestive problem.
What is the definition of acid reflux?Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is another name for acid reflux. It affects millions of people around the world. This illness is caused by stomach acid coming back up into the esophagus, which is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
Changing one’s lifestyle and using over-the-counter medications are typically enough to control acid reflux for most people. To improve your quality of life and avoid complications, it may be necessary to see an acid reflux doctor if you experience severe or frequent GERD. You should go to Katy Stomach Doctor.
Dr. James Maher is a board-certified acid reflux doctor Waller County, TX who can use his expertise to treat patients.
When Does GERD Require an Acid Reflux Doctor Waller County, TX
If you have severe or frequent acid reflux, it can really mess up your daily life, and you might need to see an acid reflux doctor. Acid reflux can sometimes be helped by over-the-counter medicines and changes in how you live your life. If the symptoms last for a long time, you should see a doctor to avoid further problems.
Heartburn is a burning feeling in the chest that most people feel after eating or sleeping. This happens a lot to people who have acid reflux. If you have regurgitation, which is like acid coming back up into your throat or mouth, food may also taste sour or bitter. Another sign of acid reflux is dysphagia, which means having trouble swallowing, which happens when stomach acid hurts the esophagus.
A cough that won’t go away can also indicate acid reflux and is more common when you’re lying down or right after eating. If stomach acid gets into your throat, it can make you hoarse or hurt. Acid reflux can lead to asthma attacks or make asthma symptoms worse. Tooth decay and enamel erosion are two dental problems that acid can cause.
Consult an acid reflux doctor if you notice that these symptoms occur frequently or significantly impact your everyday life. Acid reflux can be uncomfortable, but an acid reflux doctor like Dr. James Maher of Katy Stomach Doctor can examine your symptoms, run diagnostic tests to determine the root cause, and recommend a treatment plan to alleviate your symptoms and prevent complications.
Assessment and Diagnosis: How Do They Operate?
Acid reflux doctors use a variety of tools to diagnose GERD and evaluate the severity of the condition. Using these methods, a personalized treatment plan is created that effectively addresses the patient’s needs. A summary of the methods and instruments used to diagnose acid reflux is as follows:
First, doctors will take a detailed medical history and look at the patient’s symptoms to see what’s going on. This clarifies the signs and symptoms of acid reflux and how it occurs.
An acid reflux doctor may conduct a physical examination to check for signs of the illness, such as inflammation or pain in the throat or esophagus.
Endoscopy of the upper esophagus and duodenum (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or EGD)—During this procedure, an endoscope, a flexible tube, is put through the mouth and into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum to look at the organs inside. Acid reflux can cause inflammation or damage to the lining of the esophagus and stomach.
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With pH monitoring, you can keep an eye on the esophageal pH level over time. This test helps diagnose acid reflux and plan treatment because it measures how long and how often the episodes last.
An upper GI series or a barium swallow may be done on some patients to get pictures of their digestive tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. You can use these tests to help rule out structural or motility problems as possible reasons for your acid reflux.
Esophageal manometry is a method for gauging the flexibility and control of the esophageal muscles. If an acid reflux doctor suspects acid reflux due to achalasia or another esophageal motility disorder, this test can help rule it out.
An upper endoscopy may allow the acid reflux doctor to take tissue samples from the lining of the stomach or esophagus to help diagnose acid reflux. Putting these samples under a microscope can help find signs of swelling, infection, or cell growth that isn’t working right.
How to Treat Acid Reflux:
The goal of treating acid reflux is to ease the symptoms, make the esophagus healthy again, and stop more problems from happening. Changing the way you live is often the first thing that needs to be done to get better. You can stay at a healthy weight, stop smoking, and avoid foods that make your symptoms worse, like those that are spicy or high in fat.
You can quickly alleviate symptoms and neutralize stomach acid with some over-the-counter medications. Medications prescribed by an acid reflux doctor may be necessary, though, if your symptoms are very severe or persistent. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly prescribed to patients to reduce stomach acid production and facilitate esophagus healing. An additional class of medications known as H2 blockers can reduce gastric acid production.
There are times when prokinetic agents may be suggested to help move food through the stomach more quickly and lower the risk of acid reflux. People whose symptoms don’t get better with medicine or who have conditions like Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal strictures may be told they need surgery. Fundoplication is an operation that can help stop acid reflux because it makes the lower esophageal sphincter stronger.
Contact Katy Stomach Doctor Now
You can fight acid reflux by changing your diet.
Trust Katy Stomach Doctor with all of your gastrointestinal issues, including acid reflux. Under the direction of board-certified doctor Dr. James Maher, our staff provides first-rate care that is uniquely suited to your requirements. No matter your stomach issue, our acid reflux doctor can help you improve with a thorough evaluation, state-of-the-art treatments, and caring service.
People with stomach problems, like acid reflux, should get help right away. Make an appointment with Katy Stomach Doctor right away to start improving your digestive health. Call us or come by our office to see for yourself why Dr. Maher and his hardworking staff are known for taking great care of all your stomach needs. Fun facts about Waller County, Texas:
Waller County is named after Edwin Waller, who was Austin, Texas’s first mayor.
Waller County is home to Prairie View A&M University, a historically black college.
Many movies and TV shows have been filmed in the county, such as “Friday Night Lights.”
Looking for an acid reflux doctor Cypress, TX to help with your stomach problems? At Katy Stomach Doctor, you can find the expert care you need for this common digestive issue from Dr. James Maher, our board-certified gastroenterologist.
What is acid reflux? Millions of people across the globe suffer from acid reflux, which is medically referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This sickness happens when stomach acid goes back into the esophagus, which is the tube that goes from the mouth to the stomach.
Dr. Maher is a talented acid reflux doctor Cypress, TX.
People who have acid reflux sometimes can usually control it by making changes to their lifestyle and taking over-the-counter medicines. But if you have GERD often or severely, you may need to see an acid reflux doctor to avoid complications and improve your quality of life. Katy Stomach Doctor is the perfect place for you.
What Leads to Needing an Acid Reflux Doctor Cypress, TX?
Acid reflux that is severe or happens often can have a big effect on your quality of life and may mean you need to see an acid reflux doctor. Sometimes, changes to your lifestyle and over-the-counter medicines can help with acid reflux. But if the symptoms last long, you may need to see a doctor to avoid complications.
Heartburn is a burning feeling in the chest that often happens after eating or at night. It is one of the most common signs of acid reflux. Regurgitation, which feels like acid backing up into the throat or mouth, can also happen, giving food a sour or bitter taste. Another sign of acid reflux is dysphagia, which means it’s hard to swallow because stomach acid can irritate the esophagus.
A persistent cough, especially when you’re lying down or right after eating, is another sign of acid reflux. Stomach acid that gets into the throat can make you hoarse or give you a sore throat. Acid reflux can sometimes make asthma symptoms worse or even cause asthma attacks. Tooth decay and enamel wear down are two dental problems that can happen because of the acid.
If these symptoms happen often or get in the way of your daily life, you might need to see an acid reflux doctor. A stomach doctor, like Dr. James Maher at Katy Stomach Doctor, can look at your symptoms, do diagnostic tests to find out what’s causing your acid reflux, and suggest the best way to treat it so you can feel better and avoid further problems.
How Does Diagnosis and Evaluation Work?
GERD can be diagnosed, and its severity is assessed by an acid reflux doctor using a range of techniques. An effective treatment plan that is customized to the patient’s needs is developed using these methods. The following is a synopsis of the diagnostic procedures and tools used by stomach doctors to identify acid reflux:
Medical History and Symptoms Assessment—Taking a thorough medical history and evaluating the patient’s symptoms are the initial steps for doctors. This sheds light on the causes and manifestations of acid reflux.
Physical Examination—To look for symptoms of acid reflux, like soreness or inflammation in the throat or esophagus, a doctor may perform a physical exam.
Upper Endoscopy / (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy or EGD)—During this procedure, a flexible tube containing a camera—an endoscope—is inserted through the mouth and into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. It allows the acid reflux doctor to look for inflammation or acid reflux-related damage in the lining of the esophagus and stomach.
pH Monitoring—The acidity level of the esophagus can be measured over time with pH monitoring. This test is useful for diagnosing acid reflux and planning treatment because it measures the duration and frequency of episodes.Make an appointment now.
Imaging Studies—Imaging studies that allow visualization of the esophagus, stomach, and upper intestine are sometimes performed, for example, a barium swallow or an upper GI series. If you suspect that structural oddities or motility issues are causing your acid reflux, these tests can help.
Manometry—One way to measure the strength and coordination of esophageal muscles is through esophageal manometry. This test can help determine if someone has achalasia or an esophageal motility disorder, which can cause acid reflux.
Biopsy—The acid reflux doctor may collect biopsies from the stomach or esophagus lining during an upper endoscopy. Symptoms of inflammation, infection, or aberrant cell growth can be detected by examining these samples under a microscope.
Treatment Options
Acid reflux treatments try to lessen the number and severity of symptoms, heal the esophagus, and prevent complications. Making changes to your lifestyle is often the first thing that helps. For example, you could avoid trigger foods like spicy or fatty foods, stop smoking, and keep your weight healthy.
Certain over-the-counter medicines can help neutralize stomach acid and ease symptoms fast. But if your acid reflux is severe or does not go away, you may need to take prescription drugs. People are often given proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to stop the stomach from making acid and let the esophagus heal. Another type of medicine that can lower the amount of acid made in the stomach is an H2 blocker.
In some cases, prokinetic agents may be prescribed to improve food movement through the stomach and reduce the risk of acid reflux. Surgical intervention may be suggested for people who do not get better with medicine or who have problems like Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal strictures. Fundoplication is one procedure that can help strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter and stop acid reflux.
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Call Katy Stomach Doctor
If you need help with acid reflux or other stomach problems, Katy Stomach Doctor is the doctor you can trust. Our team, which board-certified gastroenterologist Dr. James Maher leads, gives you excellent services that are tailored to your needs. We can help you improve by giving you a full evaluation, using cutting-edge treatments and compassionate care, whether you have acid reflux, Crohn’s disease, or another gastrointestinal condition.
Those who have acid reflux or other stomach problems should get help now. The first step to better digestive health is to make an appointment with Katy Stomach Doctor right now. Call us or come to our office to meet Dr. Maher and the rest of our hardworking staff and find out why we’re known for giving great care for all your stomach needs.
