Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) | NJ Best Doctors for GERD | Advanced Surgical & Bariatrics of NJ

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Treatment in New Jersey

Home » Acid Reflux » Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Treatment in New Jersey

When heartburn or acid reflux becomes a constant hassle in your life or worse, causes you pain, you should get checked out by the best GERD doctors in the tri-state area. Not only is acid reflux uncomfortable, but it also can lead to more serious complications that are much more difficult to treat, such as Barrett’s esophagus. Get effective long-term treatment of your GERD by calling a specialist today to find out your options. Advanced Surgical & Bariatrics of NJ, PA has five offices and an outstanding reputation.

GERD USA Statistics

What is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a condition that causes stomach acid to flow backwards out of your stomach and into your esophagus and throat. Eventually, the backwash irritates the lining of your esophagus, which can cause pain and a burning sensation. A patient diagnosed with GERD usually has a weakened lower esophageal sphincter which is a valve between the stomach and esophagus. When this sphincter fails to close tightly, it allows food and stomach acids to flow back into the esophagus (reflux). The esophageal lining can become inflamed or irritated due to these acids, causing the burning chest pain, sour taste, or cough that patients often suffer from.

For many people, acid reflux happens only occasionally and is often worsened with particular foods. These instances of GERD do not typically cause permanent damage. Others who experience more severe symptoms of GERD, would benefit from evaluation by the top GERD doctors in New York, New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania available at Advanced Surgical & Bariatrics of NJ, PA.

What Causes You to Seek GERD Treatment

Gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment usually is not required if you only experience mild heartburn or occasional discomfort. Your GERD is considered a mild condition if you only have symptoms once a week and severe or moderate if acid reflux occurs more than once a week. You’re at an increased risk of developing GERD if you:

  • Are obese
  • Are pregnant
  • Suffer a delay in your stomach emptying
  • Have a hiatal hernia, which causes a bulge at the top of your stomach
  • Have scleroderma or another connective tissue disorder

These risk factors are aggravated by:

  • Consuming fried and fatty foods
  • Eating late at night
  • Smoking cigarettes
  • Taking aspirin or other medications
  • Drinking coffee or alcohol frequently
5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Thank you Advanced Surgical and Bariatrics for the amazing job

I had my gastric bypass surgery done last March 31st by Dr. Buchholz from Advanced Surgical and Bariatrics at RWJ Barnabas of New Brunswick. The whole experience from the first appointment to the post-ops were amazing. They made me feel heard and guided me throughout the entire process. The team at RWJ Barnabas was also great. I ended up staying two nights at the hospital and everyone of their team took really good care of me. I feel great and my life has changed completely. The new me is healthier and happier. Thank you Advanced Surgical and Bariatrics for the amazing job you do.

Daniel R.

Symptoms that Alert Your GERD Doctor

GERD occurs both during the day and the night. When you lie down, you may feel the pain or burning sensation worsen. Seek GERD treatment if you also experience:

  • Coughing that’s chronic at night
  • A sore throat or laryngitis
  • Trouble sleeping through the night
  • Asthma that worsens while sleeping

Symptoms typically are worse at night, but during the day, GERD commonly appears in the form of:

  • A feeling like you have a lump in your throat
  • Burning sensations or heartburn after you eat
  • A sour taste in your mouth
  • Pain in your chest
  • Trouble swallowing
5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Top GERD Doctors!

The office is great. My treatment was good and as of today, I am doing great. No regrets about my decision to come to this office.

Maria R.

Visit Top GERD Doctors

You should seek emergency treatment if you have chest pains or get short of breath, particularly if it’s accompanied by arm or jaw pain. These symptoms may also indicate you’re having a heart attack and not just acid reflux. You should get treatment from the best doctor for GERD, especially if you find yourself taking over-the-counter medications for heartburn or discomfort more than once a week or if your symptoms become severe.

Without an appropriate GERD treatment, continued acid reflux can lead to a host of complications, such as:

  • Barrett’s esophagus, which can lead to esophageal cancer. It occurs from the constant exposure of acid that affects the tissue lining your throat.
  • Ulcers, or open sores in your throat or esophagus, that cause difficulty swallowing, pain, and bleeding.
  • Narrowing of your throat or esophagus due to the scar tissue created after continual acid reflux. This also leads to trouble swallowing.

Your GERD doctor may be able to diagnose your condition simply by listening to your symptoms and understanding when they started. The best GERD doctors have a number of tests available to confirm the diagnosis, including:

  • A digestive system x-ray that requires you to drink a liquid; which coats your throat and stomach to make abnormalities visible
  • Manometry that measures the muscle contractions in your esophagus
  • Endoscopy, which requires your doctor to insert a camera and light down your throat to view any damage from the GERD.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Treatment

You can get GERD relief with lifestyle and diet modifications. Medication may be another option your doctor may suggest. When you search for a GERD doctor near me, you’ll find that the doctors at Advanced Surgical & Bariatrics of NJ, PA also are bariatric surgical specialists. Losing weight is one of the primary treatments used to treat GERD and its side effects. If you’re looking to lose weight, consider:

Available GERD surgery includes:

Stop suffering and avoid serious complications from your GERD. Contact the specialists at Advanced Surgical & Bariatrics of NJ, PA for an appointment.

What is anti-reflux surgery?

Some patients do not respond well to medications or lifestyle changes while others are not comfortable following an ongoing medication regimen.  These patients are candidates for a surgical procedure to correct their GERD symptoms. The most common surgical procedure for GERD is called a fundoplication, which involves the repair of a hiatal hernia, if present, and wrapping the top part of the stomach around the lower part of the esophagus. This recreates a one-way valve prohibiting stomach acid from entering the esophagus and can be done using a minimally invasive technique with several small incisions (laparoscopic surgery).

The benefits of performing these procedures laparoscopically include less pain, a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, smaller scars, and a reduced risk of infections and hernias.**

When is GERD or acid reflux surgery necessary?

Patients with severe, chronic esophageal acid reflux may need surgery to correct the problem if other medical treatments are not effective or do not provide full relief of their symptoms. Esophageal reflux can cause further complications including esophagitis, esophageal ulcers, bleeding, scarring of the esophagus, and precancerous changes to the esophagus (Barrett’s Esophagus) that can progress to esophageal cancer.

Almost everyone will be affected by acid reflux at some point in their lives. Chronic acid reflux, however, necessitates seeing a doctor for treatment to prevent any complications of GERD, such as esophagitis and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

The interprofessional team at Advanced Surgical & Bariatrics offers GERD therapy consisting of lifestyle modifications, medical management with antacids and antisecretory agents, abdominal surgery, and endoluminal procedures. Visit one of our offices in NJ and discover why we are considered the best GERD doctors.

Dr. Sadek

Dr. Ragui Sadek is a premier surgeon who established a state-of-the-art and one of the safest bariatric surgery programs in the state. Dr. Sadek has fellowship training in both laparoscopic/bariatric surgery and surgical trauma/critical care, allowing him to safely perform complex surgeries on patients who have been turned down by other practices. As a Clinical Assistant Professor of surgery at RWJ Medical School & the Director of bariatric surgery program at RWJ University Hospital, Dr. Sadek offers a cutting-edge range of laparoscopic, robotic, & bariatric surgical procedures with a complication rate substantially below the national average.

Dr. Sadek is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Having performed more than three thousand advanced surgical procedures, Dr. Sadek has established a strong patient satisfaction rate and a solid reputation among the surgical community and is renowned as a top physician in his field by International Association of Healthcare Professionals. As a board-certified surgeon, he holds affiliations with the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Society of American Gastro Endoscopic Surgeons. More about Dr. Sadek

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