Diagnosing GERD

Everyday Health produced a brief video on how your physician will diagnose if you have GERD.

Transcript:

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is typically diagnosed through a typical history. Your physician or healthcare provider will listen to the story and can often come to a diagnosis without any specific testing. One thing that is done commonly after a provisional diagnosis is made through a careful history is a trial of medications that reduce acid in the stomach. If those medications are effective, one can be pretty confident that the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease has been established.

Sometimes, other tests are necessary, and they include endoscopy, where a thin tube is inserted through the mouth and into the esophagus and stomach to look for manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease. In some cases, a special probe that can manage the PH or the acidity of the stomach and esophagus also helps to establish the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease.