Spring 2026 3 Like many people, you might have occasional heartburn, especially after eating a large, spicy or acidic meal. That burning feeling in your chest happens when digestive acids back up–or reflux— into the esophagus. But if you experience heartburn frequently or notice related symptoms, you could have a more serious condition: gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. “Untreated GERD can damage the lining of the esophagus,” says gastroenterologist Sunitha Pudhota, MD. That damage can lead to swallowing difficulties; regurgitation; hoarseness; a chronic cough; and gastrointestinal bleeding, which can cause tarry stools or vomit that looks like coffee grounds. It also may cause precancerous changes, called Barrett’s esophagus. If you often get heartburn, don’t wait. See a provider for an evaluation and possibly some diagnostic tests. If you do have GERD, treatment can be effective. “People will say, ‘Finally, I can sleep well at night,’ or ‘‘I’m able to eat foods that I like without having to pay a price for it,’” Dr. Pudhota says. Medications that reduce stomach acids are a main treatment. Strategies like these may also help: ● Avoid eating within two hours of bedtime. ● Limit foods and beverages that trigger your acid reflux. These may include spicy or greasy foods, tomato products, coffee, and sodas. ● Lose weight, if needed. If medications don’t improve your GERD symptoms enough after a certain time period, you might be offered robotic or laparoscopic GERD surgery, says Andre Graham, MD, a general and bariatric surgeon with North Texas Surgical Specialists. A word about GERD Get relief from severe heartburn One approach is fundoplication, a procedure that addresses GERD’s root causes: a weakened muscular valve between the stomach and esophagus that allows digestive acids to reflux and, in many cases, a bulging of the stomach into the chest (hiatal hernia). “That procedure is designed to fix the mechanical problem,” Dr. Graham says. Discover digestive health expertise When it comes to your digestive health, you don’t have to travel far for care. From heartburn to inflammatory bowel disease and everything in between, Texas Health Hospital Mansfield has the expertise to help—right here at home. Visit TexasHealthMansfield.org/ DigestiveCare to discover what we offer.
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