-Dr.Dianne McCallister, Chief Medical Officer at Porter Adventist Hospital

Do you wake up with an acid taste in your mouth? After meals, do you get a burning sensation in your lower chest? You could be one of the millions of people that suffers from acid reflux.

New surgical treatments are out that are done through a scope to prevent acid reflux.

What Is Acid Reflux?

There are cells in the lining of our stomachs that produce acid to help us digest our food. The food entering our stomach triggers the acid production, and then the stomach muscles contract, helping to mix the acid in with our food.

Normally there is a pressure valve at the top of our stomach/bottom of our esophagus that helps prevent the acid filled food from moving back up into our esophagus.

A number of things, including obesity, certain foods, and a condition where part of the stomach is above the diaphragm, can cause this muscular valve to be ineffective.

When it is ineffective, the acid filled food percolates back up into the esophagus - acid reflux.

1. Reflux is painful because the acid irritates the lining of the esophagus
2. It increases the chance of developing cancer and scarring of the esophagus
3. The acid can be inhaled into the lungs, causing lung issues, and can irritate and damage the larynx/voicebox, teeth and sinsuses.

New TIF procedure?

TIF is one of several surgical procedures that can prevent reflux by improving the functioning of the valve at the junction of the esophagus and stomach.

The biggest breakthrough with the TIF procedure is that the surgeon does not have to put any incisions, or cuts, into your body to do it, as are necessary in other procedures.

In TIF, an endoscope is inserted through your mouth and goes down your esophagus into the top of your stomach.

There, under the visualization from the scope, the instruments are used to recreate, or strengthen, the valve at the top of the stomach. It is an effective procedure for preventing reflux.

In other procedures, small incisions are made to insert instruments in the abdomen, and laparoscopic techniques are used to wrap a portion of the stomach around the valve where the esophagus meets the stomach, again, reinforcing the valve and preventing reflux.

Other Ways To Treat Reflux

1. Reducing stomach acid with such products as H2 blockers such as ranitidine and the use of proton pump inhibitors, such as prevacid and prilosec
2. Weight loss - this alone is often successful in stopping reflux by decreasing the pressure in the abdomen up onto the stomach
3. Avoiding foods, such as fatty foods, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, tea, citrus foods to name a few
4. Sleeping with the head of the bed raised, and avoiding eating for two to four hours prior to going to bed

It is extremely important to be seen by your physician and getting a diagnosis before self-treating for reflux.

Remember, a heart attack has many of the same symptoms as reflux - and is a medical emergency.

If you have chest pain - call 911 or go immediately to the ER to make sure that you are not having a heart attack.

Dr. McCallister is on 7NEWS at 11 a.m. every Wednesday. If you have a topic or question you would like her to discuss, email 11am@thedenverchannel.com.