PEOPLE AFFECTED REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RACE, HEREDITY, WEIGHT OR AGE
160 MILLION WORLDWIDE
8.8 MILLION AMERICANS
COMMON SYMPTOMS
DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING
COUGHING & WHEEZING
BAD
BREATH
HOARSENESS SORE THROAT
NON-CARDIAC CHEST PAIN
CAUSES?
- Often Associated with What We Eat or Drink
- Sometimes There are No Reasons (idiopathic)
- Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (aka GERD)
- Anatomical Abnormality (hiatal/hiatus) Hernia
LONG-TERM RISK
Untreated, long-term exposure to stomach acid can damage the esophagus leading to:
Esophagitis: Damaged esophagus lining – may cause irritation, bleeding and ulceration (associated with a higher risk of cancer!)
Strictures: Scarring that can make swallowing difficult – causes issues with food getting stuck as it travels down the esophagus
Barrett’s Esophagus: A serious complication – changes in the esophagus make its lining resemble that of the intestine further down the gut (associated with a higher risk of cancer!)
INCREASES RISK OF FIRST HEART ATTACK 57% WITHIN 5 YEARS
MEDICATIONS
Long-term use of over-the-counter and/or prescription medications can potentially have other consequences.
Please schedule an appointment with your Gastroenterologist so a specific plan can be developed and monitored.
TESTS & DIAGNOSIS
Endoscopy:
Camera Imaging Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (aka esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy or EGD) Visual inspection using a tube containing an optical system. This test highlights ulcers, strictures, Barrett’s and an inflamed esophagus. (Does not diagnose GERD.)
Biopsy:
Tissue samples are removed from the esophagus lining for lab analysis. Normally dependent on EGD results and can be carried out at the same as EGD. Can identify more serious underlying issues such as infections and abnormalities.
pH Study:
The 24-hour esophageal pH test is an outpatient procedure performed to measure the pH or amount of acid that flows into the esophagus from the stomach during a 4-hour period.
The pH test is commonly used to help identify the cause of various symptoms, including:
- Heartburn, primarily in patients who have failed medical treatment and are candidates for surgery.
- Uncommon symptoms of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), such as chest pain, chronic cough, asthma and other tests and procedures as needed.
We take your privacy seriously. Our Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information can be downloaded here.
What information is available about your privacy practices?
You’ll find information about a variety of subjects including:
- Understanding Your Health Record/Information
- Your Health Information Rights
- Confidentiality of Information
- Examples of Disclosures for Treatment, Payment and Health Operations
- Uses or Disclosures CIEC May Make Without Your Authorization
- Examples of Disclosures by Illinois State Law that Require Specific Patient Authorization
- Our Responsibilities
- Patient Rights and Responsibilities
- How to Report a Problem or File a Grievance
Do you have information about Patient Rights and Responsibilities?
Yes. This information is available on the following forms:
- Patient Rights and Responsibilities
- How to Report a Problem or File a Grievance
Central Illinois Endoscopy Center reserves the right to change the terms of its privacy notice and to make the new provisions effective for all protected health information that Central Illinois Endoscopy Center maintains.