Conquer chronic heartburn with skilled, individualized care.
About 15 million Americans experience heartburn daily. This occurs when muscles in the lower end of the esophagus abnormally weaken or relax. This allows stomach acid to back up and cause:
- A burning sensation behind the breastbone
- A sour taste in the mouth
- The sensation of food re-entering the mouth
In addition to heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) causes chest pain, difficulty swallowing, coughing, anemia, ulcers and regurgitation of food or sour liquid. Over time, GERD can lead to Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that increases the risk of esophageal cancer.
Getting to the bottom of your symptoms is the first step.
At Gastrointestinal Associated Specialists, our board-certified specialists, James M. Walden, MD, and Gregory A. Schnell, MD, will take your history and assess your symptoms. Then, we will evaluate you for signs of reflux via upper endoscopy and design a custom treatment plan to help you get past the discomfort and get back to living your life. In most cases, treatment begins with medical management of the reflux with medications, but surgical repair may be the best choice in certain cases. In every case, however, our highly capable specialists will provide the advanced care and heartfelt compassion necessary to uncover and correct the underlying cause of your heartburn rather than just treat your symptoms.
Don’t let chronic heartburn undermine your health and lifestyle.
Call the team of experienced, compassionate specialists at Gastrointestinal Associated Specialists at (816) 527-0031 or use our online Patient Portal. For additional information on any condition, treatment or procedure, please visit our Health Education Library.