Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, or GORD, is a digestive disease characterised by chronic acid reflux, which occurs when stomach acid flows back into the oesophagus.

GORD is caused by a weakening in the esophageal sphincter, which allows stomach acid to flow back up into your esophagus. This constant flow of stomach acid irritates the lining of the esophagus, causing inflammation and discomfort.

When diagnosis and treatment are delayed, chronic GORD can increase your risk for serious health complications. The thin tissue that lines your esophagus is sensitive, and stomach acid is irritating. It can burn and damage the tissue inside your esophagus, throat, and voice box. For adults, the most common complications of reflux include long-term irritation, tissue scarring, ulcers, and increased risk for certain cancers.

Silent reflux is quite common and affects approximately 40 to 50% of patients who have gastroesophageal reflux disease.

It is referred to as ‘silent reflux’ because it does not present with the classical symptoms of reflux, being heartburn, lump in the throat and regurgitation. There is in fact nothing silent about the symptomatology which is often called atypical.

These symptoms range from chronic cough, recurrent sore throats, loss of voice, persistent throat clearing, chest pain, choking, wheezing and shortness of breath. We frequently see patients with a diagnosis of “atypical asthma”, which often turns out to be gastro-oesophageal reflux with entry of reflux into the airways.

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The Gastroesophageal Reflux Test is BULK BILLED for Medicare card holders.

Yes. A referral from your GP or Specialist is required.

You are required to fast for 4 hours prior to your examination. Please do not have anything to eat, drink, smoke or chew during the fasting period. All medications (including prescribed reflux medication) must be taken on the day of your examination prior to commencing the 4 hour fasting period.

Prior to the introduction of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Test GORD has been diagnosed using pH monitoring, fluoroscopy or endoscopy.

pH monitoring is performed off therapy. Standard test preparation is to cease anti-reflux therapy for the 3 days prior to the test. This causes a rebound acid effect, and the stomach produces more acid. Although this test is 50-80% sensitive & 77–100% specific in the presence of heartburn & regurgitation, it is limited to oesophageal disease only, particularly the lower oesophagus. This test is expensive, invasive, and may be poorly tolerated by patients.

Endoscopy is effective as an anatomical diagnostic tool, but has a poor sensitivity for GORD (less than 30%) and is limited to detecting reflux disease that is severe enough to damage the oesophagus.

Fluoroscopy or Barium Swallow is insensitive and has a high radiation burden and only demonstrates oesophageal disease.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Testing provides an effective, bulk billed, non-invasive screening tool for oesophageal disease, LPR and lung aspiration, detecting contamination throughout the maxillary sinuses, throat, middle ears, laryngopharynx, airways and lungs. Scintigraphy is 90% sensitive, detecting both acid and non-acid reflux and is well-tolerated by patients.

Your treatment options will depend on what the scan and any other relevant investigations reveal.

Your clinical symptoms and response to treatment as always must be considered.

Once this information is known a more customised management and treatment plan can be devised and implemented by your GP or specialist. There are a range of lifestyle, medication and surgical options. Ranging from diet modification and timing of meals to a combination of PPIs, antacids, nasal sprays or lung antibiotics.

If all these options fail, surgery is normally the next step and most appropriate treatment.