gallbladder heartburn

Everyone is familiar with reflux disease bile acid reflux is another condition that is not discussed much but is very similar and can sometimes be confused with acid reflux.

First, Let me educate you a bit about what is bile. Bile is a digestive fluid produced in the liver. Some of the components that make up bile are:

* Water
* Cholesterol
Bile Pigments *
* Bile salts

Bile is placed in the gallbladder bile and while eating is discharged into the duodenum where the bile helps in the process of digestion of fats.

Bile reflux is the result of bile that rises from the small intestine into the stomach and esophagus of BR is sometimes confused with acid reflux, because a person can experience some of the same symptoms and bile (as GERD) can irritate the lining of the esophagus, potentially increasing the risk of esophageal cancer.

One thing that makes the different bile reflux acid reflux is that it can be treated with lifestyle changes little or diet. It has to be treated with prescription medications or, in severe cases, with surgery.

Another thing BR makes different this condition irritates the stomach, causing an irritating or burning sensation in the upper abdomen.

Because acid reflux and BR are quite similar, can sometimes be confusing to identify the symptoms. Here are some symptoms that will help detect BR:

* Nausea
* Vomiting bile
* Hoarseness
* Unintentional weight loss

Some causes of this condition are peptic ulcer and gallbladder removal. A peptic ulcer obstructing the pyloric valve. When this happens, the valve does not open enough to allow your stomach emptied as fast as it should.

As a result, food and drink will lead to gastric pressure that causes the increase in bile reflux stomach acid up into the esophagus.

If you had gallbladder removed then there is a good chance that your body produces more bile than have their gallbladders removed.

Diagnosis of BR is a more difficult for acid reflux, so it requires more testing. Your doctor also check if there is damage to the esophagus and for any pre-cancerous changes. Here are some medical tests to diagnose the use BR:

* Ambulatory acid tests – These tests use an acid-measuring probe to identify when and for how long, acid regurgitates into the esophagus. Outpatient acid tests are negative in people with bile reflux.

* Endoscopy – For this test, your doctor puts a thin, flexible tube with a light and a camera (endoscope) into the throat. The endoscope can show ulcerations or inflammation in the stomach or esophagus and can reveal a peptic ulcer.

Esophageal Impedance – Rather than measuring acid, this test can measure whether gas or liquids reflux into the esophagus. It is useful for people who have congestive Substances that are acidic and therefore would not be detected by a pH probe.

If not treated properly can have some serious health complications. BR and GERD can cause severe tissue damage in the esophagus. The combination of these two conditions can cause other problems such as:

* Heartburn
* Esophageal narrowing
* Barrett’s Esophagus
* Esophageal cancer
* Gastritis

As I said before the style changes Life can not control BR. A drug that is used to treat BR is ursodeoxycholic acid. This medicine helps promote bile flow. AU also help reduce constant symptoms and severity of pain.

Although inhibitors proton pump (or PPI) are used to treat symptoms acid reflux, the main reason for these type medications to reduce acid production, which can also help reduce the BR.

If you take the medicine does not help or if there are precancerous changes in the esophagus, then your next option is to try surgery. Diversion is a type of surgery that doctors use to treat BR.

Your doctor will take a new connection for bile drainage further down in the intestine, thereby diverting bile away from your stomach. This procedure is called Roux-en-Y (roo-en-WI).

Because some types of operations are often more successful than others, always a good idea to discuss the pros and cons carefully with your doctor.

About the Author:

Samuel Whatley owns and operates the web site Acid Reflux Tips. This site will give you all of the latest information you need and tips to treat your symptoms. To learn more on acid reflux please visit http://www.acid-reflux-tips.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – What is Bile Reflux