Given that there are so many different medical conditions that can affect the human body and have a significant impact on the kind of life we lead, it helps to have a basic understanding of some of the more common medical conditions that we suffer from. This helps us to gauge better the damage these illnesses can do to our lives.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, more common known as GERD, is a condition that is characterized by the liquid contents of the stomach being regurgitated back up into the esophagus. Because of the acidic properties of these liquids, the cells in the esophagus are likely to suffer from some kind of significant damage.
Barrett's disease is a complication of GERD or heartburn and some of the more common Barrett's disease symptoms are very similar to GERD and include a sharp burning sensation in the chest cavity as well as the development of nausea. It is important to remember that the heartburn causes, symptoms and treatment are all related to each other and therefore doctors would go through a careful diagnosis before suggesting any treatment plan to get rid of heartburn. The heartburn will usually start in the upper part of the abdomen and experienced just after a meal - especially if the individual is lying down due to the effects of gravity. A number of cases have seen the instances of heartburn to be so severe that some individuals have been woken from their sleep because of an attack. Because of the fact that Barrett's disease symptoms are so similar to regular GERD, a number of doctor tend to misdiagnose the condition. The wrong diagnosis therefore could lead to a situation where proper treatment is not provided to the person.
Medically speaking, Barrett's disease treatment can only start after a proper diagnosis has been made. The medical fraternity agrees on the fact that diagnosis of the condition requires two mandatory medical procedures to be performed before the condition can be labeled as being Barrett's disease. These two procedures that are required to be carried out are an endoscopy as well as a microscopic study of the biopsy of the tissue that has been extracted through the endoscopy.
One of the biggest reasons that there is so much interest surrounding Barrett's syndrome as well as the various barrett's disease symptoms is the fact that the condition is known to play a part in the development of cancer of the esophagus – also known as esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, studies have shown that only a small percentage of patients suffering from Barrett's disease are likely to suffer from esophageal adenocarcinoma.
The primary distinction between Barrett's esophagus symptoms and those of uncomplicated GERD is the fact that the cell lining the esophagus is replaced by cells that look and act similar to the ones that are present in the intestines. In certain situations such as when the patient is suffering from Barrett's Syndrome and severe dysplasia, the esophagus may need to be removed.
The kind of diet that you follow will go a long way into ensuring that you keep all the various Barrett's Disease symptoms under check. A balanced diet is a very essential part of barrett's esophagus treatment and requires consumption of a variety of foods - especially vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Adequate water intake is something that is very often overlooked, but the importance of proper water intake should not be underestimated because of the fact that it plays a huge role in helping a patient deal with the condition as well as hydrates his or her body to help combat a number of other conditions.
Make it a point to avoid any sugar intake - especially those contained in junk food as well as soda drinks. Foods that have high salt levels should be avoided as well. Strictly avoid drinks that have any alcohol content because they will only serve to significantly slow down the recovery process.
answered by G M