GERD Awareness Week Spotlights Need for Patient Education on Chronic Symptoms and Available Treatments
(PRWEB) November 24, 2014 -- November 23 through 29, 2014 is GERD Awareness Week. Of course, the millions of Americans who experience the unpleasant effects of GERD, or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, don't need a special week to remind them of the suffering that is associated with this condition.
Many GERD sufferers are unaware of the dangers of chronic acid reflux or of the available treatment options. These include first line treatment such as reduced acidic diets and other lifestyle changes, medication use, non-surgical Stretta Therapy and finally, for the most severe cases, surgical treatment. It's important for patients to understand their symptoms and the risks and benefits of each of these available options.
Patients can measure their GQ - GERD Quotient by checking the facts below:
1. Uncontrolled chronic GERD symptoms can cause Barrett's Esophagus, a precancerous condition, or even cancer of the esophagus
2. Sleep apnea could be a result of GERD
3. Chronic coughing and hoarseness could be caused by GERD
4. Approximately 30 percent of patients with GERD still have symptoms despite taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
5. PPIs, when taken long-term have been shown to have significant side effects and may interfere with other medications
6. GERD can be caused by a weak muscle with an insufficient valve between the stomach and the esophagus called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter or LES
7. The LES can be treated with low temperature radiofrequency energy called Stretta Therapy to improve function and reduce GERD symptoms
Dr. Mark Noar, director of the Heartburn and Reflux Study Center in Towson, MD, and an author of multiple studies on non-surgical alternatives for GERD, sees GERD patients every day. “In the case of chronic symptoms of GERD, it’s critical to get screened to make sure your esophagus or upper airway is not being damaged and that you do not develop cancer, which may not show symptoms until too late."
To learn more about a treatment for GERD that has been clinically proven to relieve reflux without medications and without surgery, go to http://www.stretta-therapy.com.
About Mederi® And Stretta® Therapy
Mederi Therapeutics Inc. manufactures and markets innovative medical devices that use radiofrequency energy to treat diseases of the digestive system. Mederi's non-surgical Stretta Therapy for GERD is performed on an outpatient basis, has demonstrated clinical effectiveness in more than 37 studies, has growing positive insurance coverage, and is available worldwide.
For media inquiries contact:
Julia Brannan
(908) 464-2470
julia(at)pascalecommunications(dot)com
Source: Mederi Therapeutics Inc.
Julia Brannan, Pascale Communications, http://www.pascalecommunications.com, +1 908-464-2470, [email protected]
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