Differential diagnosis of GERD can also include dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease, esophageal and gastric cancer, and food allergies. Treatment
The treatments for GERD may include food choices, lifestyle changes, medications, and possibly surgery. Initial treatment is frequently with a proton-pump inhibitor such as omeprazole. In some cases, a person with GERD symptoms can manage them by taking over-the-counter drugs. This is often safer and less expensive than taking prescription drugs. Some guidelines recommend trying to treat symptoms with an H2 antagonist before using a proton-pump inhibitor because of cost and safety concerns. Medical Nutrition Therapy and Lifestyle Changes
Medical nutrition therapy plays an essential role in managing the symptoms of the disease by preventing reflux, preventing pain and irritation, and decreasing gastric secretions.Some foods such as chocolate, mint, high fat food , and alcohol showed to relax the lower esophageal sphincter increasing the risk of reflux. It is also recommended to lose weight if overweight or obese, Avoid eating bedtime snacks or lying down immediately after meals, Consume meals 2–3 hours before bedtime, Elevate head of bed on 6-inch blocks, Avoid smoking, Avoid wearing tight clothing that increases pressure in the stomach, avoid spices, citrus juices, tomatoes and soft drinks, as well as consume small frequent meals and drink liquids between meals . Some evidence suggests that reduced sugar intake and increased fiber intake can help. Although moderate exercise may improve symptoms in people with GERD, vigorous exercise may worsen them. Breathing exercises may relieve GERD symptoms.
The condition is named after surgeon Norman Barrett (1903–1979) even though the condition was originally described by Philip Rowland Allison in 1946. Signs and symptoms
The change from normal to premalignant cells indicate Barretts esophagus does not cause any particular symptoms. Barretts esophagus, however, is associated with these symptoms:

frequent and longstanding heartburn
trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
vomiting blood (hematemesis)
pain under the sternum where the esophagus meets the stomach
pain when swallowing (odynophagia), which can lead to unintentional weight lossThe risk of developing Barretts esophagus is increased by central obesity (vs. peripheral obesity). The exact mechanism is unclear. The difference in distribution of fat among men (more central) and women (more peripheral) may explain the increased risk in males. Pathophysiology
Barretts esophagus occurs due to chronic inflammation. The principal cause of chronic inflammation is gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD (UK: GORD). In this disease, acidic stomach, bile, and small intestine and pancreatic contents cause damage to the cells of the lower esophagus. In turn, this provokes an advantage for cells more resistant to these noxious stimuli in particular HOXA13-expressing stem cells that are characterised by distal (intestinal) characteristics and outcompete the normal squamous cells.This mechanism also explains the selection of HER2/neu (also called ERBB2) and the overexpressing (lineage-addicted) cancer cells during the process of carcinogenesis, and the efficacy of targeted therapy against the Her-2 receptor with trastuzumab (Herceptin) in the treatment of adenocarcinomas at the gastroesophageal junction. Researchers are unable to predict who with heartburn will develop Barretts esophagus.