Acid reflux and peptic ulcers
Heartburn is common; persistent reflux and ulcers are treatable. Most people improve with medication, and surgery helps a selected few.
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What reflux and ulcers are
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is when stomach acid repeatedly washes back into the oesophagus. Peptic ulcers are sores in the lining of the stomach or the first part of the duodenum.
Both are very common, both are usually manageable, and both respond well to treatment.
Symptoms
- Heartburn after meals and lying down
- Regurgitation of acid into the mouth
- Chest pain or trouble swallowing
- For ulcers — a burning stomach pain between meals
- Black stools or vomiting blood, needing urgent attention
How it is diagnosed
Endoscopy is the key test. The camera shows reflux damage to the oesophagus and confirms any ulcer, and a biopsy tests for H. pylori — the bacterium behind most ulcers.
For reflux that does not settle, a pH study measures acid exposure over 24 hours.
Medical treatment first
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the first-line treatment — they reduce acid so the oesophagus and ulcer can heal. When H. pylori is present, antibiotics clear it, and most ulcers heal within 4–8 weeks.
Lifestyle changes — weight, meals and sleeping position — do more than people expect.
When surgery is considered
Surgery is for the minority: people whose reflux is severe despite medication, who cannot tolerate long-term PPIs, or who have complications.
Fundoplication wraps the top of the stomach around the lower oesophagus to reinforce the valve, and is now done keyhole in Delhi NCR with a short hospital stay.
Questions
No. The large majority are well controlled with PPI medication and lifestyle changes. Surgery is for severe or medication-resistant cases.
Yes. In most cases it is done laparoscopically — keyhole — with a hospital stay of a few days.
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