Home - Barrett's Esophagus

Welcome to Barrett’s Esophagus! While you may not have heard much about this condition, you really should learn more about how to identify the symptoms of Barrett’s Esophagus as more and more people are suffering from this ailment without realizing it. And if not treated, the consequences can be severe. With this website, I hope to spread greater awareness and understanding of Barrett’s Esophagus, the symptoms and related conditions which may lead to it.

Barrett’s Esophagus and My Father

After my father was diagnosed with it, I scoured the Internet to learn as much as I could about Barrett’s Esophagus. I learned that as many as millions go undiagnosed and untreated until it is too late. So this site will represent the culmination of my studies presented in a comprehensive yet accessible manner. While it may sound like a bold ambition, I hope this site will change hundreds if not thousands of lives for the better.

It is important to determine whether you’re experiencing stomach cancer symptoms, stomach ulcer symptoms, GERD Symptoms (like heartburn) or Barrett’s Esophagus symptoms. While they can overlap both in symptoms and in their core medical origins, assuming your symptoms fulfill one diagnosis and not investigating the other ailments can be dangerous.

It is also important to recognize and appreciate how even if you are diagnosed with Barrett’s Esophagus, you can still live a long and healthy life, so don’t become despondent. In fact knowing you have Barrett’s esophagus and getting regular check ups to monitor it can help you avoid developing other Barrett’s esophagus related conditions including esophageal cancer.

Family History And The Gender Gap

Although doctors don’t yet know why, men appear to be three times more likely to develop Barrett’s Esophagus than women. It is also a disease which seems to have genetic traces, so if a family member experiences cancer of any part of the digestion system, you should let your doctor know.

The Relation Between Barrett’s Esophagus And GERD

If you experience consistent and long-lasting GERD symptoms, you should consider discussing Barrett’s Esophagus with your physician. With gastric reflux — formally known as GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease (hence, G.E.R.D.) — liquid from your stomach regurgitates into your lower esophagus, leaving a wash of acid to damage the lining of your esophagus. This regular exposure to stomach acid in time leads to the development of mutant, intestinal-like tissue in the esophagus. This occurring over time is precisely what researchers believe leads to Barrett’s Esophagus… and in time can lead to esophageal cancer.

New research discussed in Science Daily, however, discusses a slightly different possible cause of Barrett’s esophagus. Some researchers suspect this esophageal condition may be caused by previously overlooked leftover embryonic cells that sit in the junction between the stomach and the esophagus. Regular exposure to stomach acid, caused by GERD or chronic heartburn, damages the esophagus, giving these cells a chance to take over and cause problems.

Since Barrett’s Esophagus is a known precursor to esophageal cancer (or esophageal adenocarcinoma) — which is a very difficult cancer to fight if not treated early enough — you need to take any family or diet risks you’ve developed very seriously.

Barrett’s Esophagus Symptoms

Many people who have Barrett’s esophagus don’t exhibit any signs or symptoms. But the most common symptoms of Barrett’s esophagus are similar to the signs and symptoms of acid reflux. They can include:

Frequent bouts of heartburn
Pain in the upper abdomen
Chest pain
Trouble swallowing
Dry cough
Sore throat
Feeling like something is stuck in the throat

History of Barrett’s Esophagus

Barrett’s Esophagus is named for Dr. Norman Barrett, an Australian-born British surgeon who first defined and described Barrett’s Esophagus in 1957.

Do not try diagnosing Barrett’s Esophagus on your own. While it is reasonable to begin some basic treatment of heartburn, proper and accurate diagnosis requires viewing the esophagus internally with an endoscope and extracting a sample of the esophagus tissue to examine it for Barrett’s esophagus. This procedure is called an esophagoscopy with biopsy, or if you like really big words, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD).

I hope my site helps people realize the importance of treating gastric reflux (GERD) symptoms early and receiving a proper medical diagnosis to avoid developing these serious, life-threatening conditions. Join me on my quest to inform people about Barrett’s Esophagus and help prevent its untreated development.

Thank you for visiting, please return again soon as I grow and refine my website… and please, take care of yourself!

Diet For Acid Reflux

With Project Diet Acid Reflux, I will attempt to both provide you a basic diet to which you can adhere to improve your acid reflux symptoms and I will try to address the myths and truths of how various foods contribute to your heartburn or to your relief. This page related to the symptoms of GERD and Barrett’s Esophagus will evolve, grow and change over time. Note: I will tell you what the latest research indicates, but I will also lean on personal experience and the anecdotal wisdom of people close to me. You will find research that indicates certain diets don’t exacerbate your acid reflux despite what conventional wisdom has been for many years. But sometimes research seems to ignore real human experience. In order to reduce acid reflux through diet, you’ll need to exercise some common sense on top of scientific understanding. Acid Reflux Diets vs. Science For

Diet For Acid Reflux

Wine and Acid Reflux

So you always understood that wine and acid reflux just aren’t supposed to mix, right? Well, some recent research may suggest otherwise. As many wine lovers who also suffer from acid reflux will attest, alcoholic beverages aren’t the easiest on the stomach. The phrase wine acid reflux is almost a term in itself; the combination of alcohol and the acidity of the wine make for an uncomfortable team for your esophagus and your stomach to combat. Health Benefits of Wine In recent years, researchers have accumulated evidence to indicate that wine — especially red wine — contains a plethora of health promoting compounds. This doesn’t change the many poor affects of drinking alcohol, unfortunately, but has given both researchers and wine lovers cause for pause. How can we leverage those healthful properties without harming ourselves? The answer, perhaps, is in moderation and food pairing. I am in no way condoning

Wine and Acid Reflux

Heartburn Home Remedies

With the staggering list of side effects that come from medications designed to treat heartburn, it may be safer to try heartburn home remedies before heading to the pharmacy for specialty medications. But before discussing home remedies for heartburn, you need to first understand heartburn itself so you can better treat it. What Causes Heartburn? What is referred to as heartburn is actually the burning of the esophagus, the tube that moves food from the throat down to the stomach. At the bottom of the esophagus is the LES, the lower esophageal sphincter, which allows food through while keeping digestive acids in the stomach. The stomach is lined to deflect the corrosive effects of these fluids, however the esophagus is not. Heartburn occurs when acid backs up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest. Certain foods can cause the sphincter to relax, allowing acid to flow through,

Heartburn Home Remedies

Stomach Cancer Symptoms

People often leave early stomach cancer symptoms untreated because the symptoms can be so similar to the symptoms of much more common ailments such as a peptic ulcer, a hiatal hernia, or Barrett’s Esophagus symptoms. In particular, stomach cancer symptoms can easily be mistaken for stomach ulcer symptoms. This can be a deadly mistake so if you experience many of these symptoms distinctly and simultaneously, I suggest you discuss the matter with your physician rather than make the assumption you’re experiencing one and not the other. Common Digestive Symptoms that Overlap With Stomach Cancer Symptoms Some stomach cancer symptoms shared with more common and less severe conditions are the following: Dull stomach pain exacerbated by food (any food, not just spicy or acidic food) A frequent general nausea Frequent sense of burning in the mid to upper torso (“heartburn”) A queasy indigestion Unusually frequent burping While I don’t mean to

Stomach Cancer Symptoms

Stomach Ulcer Symptoms

The most common stomach ulcer symptoms can often be misinterpreted as hunger pangs, heartburn (GERD symptoms) or indigestion. They usually manifest as a burning or gnawing sensation. This “gnawing” is what most often is difficult to identify and diagnose as stomach ulcer symptoms (or gastric ulcer symptoms) and not just a little bit of indigestion. It is important to understand stomach ulcers — often referred to as peptic ulcers or gastric ulcers — in order to identify them. Individuals suffering from a stomach ulcer will have a small erosion in the gastrointestinal tract. If the erosion occurs in the stomach it is called a gastric ulcer. If it occurs in the first twelve inches of the small intestine beyond the stomach, it is called a duodenal ulcer. Duodenal ulcers are much more common but are often still simply referred to generally as stomach ulcers. Early Stomach Ulcer Symptoms Earlier symptoms

Stomach Ulcer Symptoms