Heartburn

Heartburn is a feeling that you’ll describe to your healthcare provider. Most providers will recognize heartburn by its description. They may not need to investigate if it’s occasional or mild. But if they suspect you have a chronic condition, they might want to take a look at your esophagus for signs of damage. They may refer you to a gastroenterologist, a specialist in the GI tract, to diagnose you.

What tests will I have to evaluate my heartburn?

Tests to examine your esophagus include:

• Upper endoscopy. Endoscopy exams look at your organs from the inside. They involve passing an endoscope — a small, lighted camera on the end of a long tube — into your body. An upper endoscopy, also called an EGD procedure, examines your upper GI tract, from your esophagus to your stomach and into the top of your small intestine. The endoscope goes down your throat (with medication to make you comfortable). It can look for signs of esophagitis, hernia or Barrett’s esophagus.
• Esophageal pH test. This test involves implanting a wireless capsule into your esophagus, which detects the pH (acid levels) in your esophagus over time. It may be implanted during an upper endoscopy or through a nasogastric tube. It transmits readings to a receiver you wear on your waistband. You’ll also record your symptoms and the times they occur in a journal to compare with the readings. After a designated period, your healthcare provider will retrieve the capsule and collect the data.