ulcers the liquid from the stomach that refluxes into the esophagus damages the cells lining the esophagus. an ulcer is simply a break in the lining of the esophagus that occurs in an area of inflammation. ulcers and the additional inflammation they provoke may erode into the esophageal blood vessels and give rise to bleeding into the esophagus. occasionally the bleeding is severe and may require: blood transfusions. an endoscopic procedure (in which a tube is inserted through the mouth into the esophagus to visualize the site of bleeding and to stop the bleeding). surgical treatment. strictures ulcers of the esophagus heal with the formation of scars (fibrosis). over time the scar tissue shrinks and narrows the lumen (inner cavity) of the esophagus. this scarred narrowing is called a stricture. swallowed food may get stuck in the esophagus once the narrowing becomes severe enough. this situation may necessitate endoscopic removal of the stuck food. then to prevent food from sticking the narrowing must be stretched (widened). barrett's esophagus longstanding and/or severe gerd causes changes in the cells that line the esophagus in some patients. these cells are precancerous and finally become cancerous. this condition is referred to as barrett's esophagus and occurs in approximately 10% of patients with gerd. the type of esophageal cancer associated with barrett's esophagus (adenocarcinoma) is increasing in frequency. it is not clear why some patients with gerd develop barrett's esophagus but most do not. cough and asthma many nerves are in the lower esophagus. some of these nerves are stimulated by the refluxed acid and this stimulation results in pain (usually heartburn). other nerves that are stimulated do not produce pain. instead they stimulate yet other nerves that provoke coughing. in this way refluxed liquid can cause coughing without ever reaching the throat! in a similar manner reflux into the lower esophagus can stimulate esophageal nerves that connect to and can stimulate nerves going to the lungs. these nerves to the lungs then can cause the smaller breathing tubes to narrow resulting in an attack of asthma. inflammation of the throat and larynx if refluxed liquid gets past the upper esophageal sphincter it can enter the throat (pharynx) and even the voice box (larynx). the resulting inflammation can lead to a sore throat and hoarseness. as with coughing and asthma it is not clear just how commonly gerd is responsible for otherwise unexplained inflammation of the throat and larynx. inflammation and infection of the lungs refluxed liquid that passes the larynx can enter the lungs. the reflux of liquid into the lungs (called aspiration) often results in coughing and choking. aspiration however can also occur without producing these symptoms. with or without these symptoms aspiration may lead to infection of the lungs and result in pneumonia. this type of pneumonia is a serious problem requiring immediate treatment. when aspiration is unaccompanied by symptoms it can result in a slow progressive scarring of the lungs (pulmonary fibrosis) that can be seen on chest x-rays. fluid in the sinuses and middle ears the throat communicates with the nasal passages. in small children two patches of lymph tissue called the adenoids are located where the upper part of the throat joins the nasal passages. the passages from the sinuses and the tubes from the middle ears (eustachian tubes) open into the rear of the nasal passages near the adenoids. refluxed liquid that enters the upper throat can inflame the adenoids and cause them to swell. when the sinuses and middle ears are closed off from the nasal passages by the swelling of the adenoids fluid accumulates within them. this accumulation of fluid can lead to discomfort in the sinuses and ears.
what are the complications of acid reflux also known as gerd?