Complications From Heartburn on the Rise

Chronic heartburn is a daily acid bath for the esophagus, and complications from it are on the rise. New government figures show a worrisome increase in esophagus disorders from severe acid reflux. The worst one, esophageal cancer, is continuing its march as the nation's fastest-growing malignancy.

Heartburn sometimes is a temporary problem, but it also can signal gastrointestinal reflux disease, or GERD, where a loose valve allows stomach acid to regularly back up into the delicate esophagus. Millions have GERD, which is on the rise along with expanding waistlines. For most people, acid-suppressing medications are precribed. But severe reflux over many years can cause serious problems for a fraction of people. Hospitalizations for all reflux-caused esophageal disorders doubled between 1998 and 2005, says a sobering new count by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. And over the past two decades, esophageal cancer has risen six-fold. About 16,470 Americans will be diagnosed with it this year, according to the American Cancer Society. Fewer than one in five survives five years, and 14,280 are predicted to die this year.

Bonnie - this is not a surprise. Should we not be asking why this is happening? Could it be our own Standard American Diet, full of heavily processed foods, too much sugar, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, and soft drinks? Could it also be partially caused by food intolerance, deficiency of key nutrients (especially magnesium), and stress? I say all of the above. The key is to correct the causes, not to throw meds and surgical procedures at the problem.