Barrett’s oesophagus is a rare condition that affects the oesophagus. Your oesophagus is the thin tube that travels from the throat to the stomach, transporting food and drink. In most cases, Barrett’s oesophagus doesn’t cause any symptoms you’ll feel, but it puts you at a higher risk of developing oesophageal cancer.
While Barrett’s oesophagus doesn’t cause painful physical symptoms, it’s often the result of acid reflux, known as GERD. GERD can lead to physical changes in the tissue that coats your oesophagus, making it look and feel more like intestinal tissue than oesophageal tissue. These alterations happen because of changes to the oesophagus’s nerve cells, leading to Barrett’s Oesophagus.
Barrett’s oesophagus typically doesn’t result in noticeable symptoms. However, because the condition is often the result of ongoing acid reflux problems, it’s essential to get checked for Barrett’s oesophagus if you struggle with GERD. Here are a few ways to tell whether or not you have GERD, which could put you at risk for Barrett’s oesophagus.
Because Barrett’s oesophagus can lead to oesophageal cancer, it’s important to note these signs and symptoms and seek diagnosis and treatment.
While Barrett’s oesophagus is almost always the result of GERD and acid reflux, it’s not known exactly why it happens. GERD can cause structural changes to the nerves and tissue in your oesophagus, leading to Barrett’s oesophagus. However, it’s unknown how or why this takes place in some people rather than others.
Hare a few risk factors that increase your chances of developing the condition.
A family history of Barrett’s oesophagus puts you at higher risk.
Barrett’s oesophagus is most common in people over 50.
Men are more prone to the condition than women.
The condition is more common in white men.
The more you struggle with acid reflux, the more likely you are to develop Barrett’s oesophagus. This is because it’s believed that stomach acid can cause the condition.
Certain lifestyle choices such as obesity, an unhealthy diet, and smoking can increase your risk.
In most cases, it’s fairly easy to diagnose Barrett’s oesophagus using the following methods.
Your physical symptoms, such as health history and a struggle with acid reflux, can be indicators of Barrett’s oesophagus. If your doctor feels further investigation is necessary, they may proceed with the following tests.
An upper endoscopy is the primary diagnostic tool when it comes to Barrett’s oesophagus. During an endoscopy, your doctor will stick a camera down your throat that’s attached to a tube. Using this camera, they can determine if there are any structural or physical changes to your oesophagus.
If they notice physical changes to the lining of your oesophagus, your doctor will perform a biopsy and retrieve a tissue sample of your oesophagus. A lab will then test the sample to determine whether or not you have Barrett’s oesophagus.
The treatment and management method that your doctor recommends will depend on how far Barrett’s oesophagus has progressed. In the early stages, and if there’s no dysplasia on the tissue samples, they may recommend medications for acid reflux and monitor the condition.
If some dysplasia is present, it means that your condition is showing early signs of oesophageal cancer. In this case, they may recommend surgery and therapy to remove the damaged oesophageal cells.
If your condition shows high rates of dysplasia and progression, your doctor may recommend more intense therapy, an endoscopy, and surgery to repair the damage. Because Barrett’s oesophagus can lead to cancer, early diagnosis and treatment is essential.