- Location
- Malta, Europe
I was admitted last week because of severe chest pains. I did all the tests and it seems the pain was due to GERD. I'm trying to understand all this. Is GERD related to Crohns? Anyone else suffers from it here?
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GERD and Crohns?
- Thread starter Stillindenial
- Start date
Crohns can occur anywhere in the digestive tract. I don't know how docs differentiate b/t esophageal/stomach erosions from Crohns vs from GERD - maybe they look different under the microscope. I have seen lots of ppl on here have GERD in addition to Crohns. And there are also some whose Crohns shows up in their throats and stuff. Did you have an upper endoscopy?
Cat-a-Tonic
Super Moderator
I have some form of IBD - haven't been fully diagnosed yet, but there's a good probability that it's Crohn's. And I have GERD. I seem to be an atypical case as I don't usually get much in the way of chest pain or classic heartburn - nausea and an indescribable discomfort are my main symptoms. If I bend over forward I can sometimes feel the stomach acid and stomach contents start to pour up my throat and that's an incredibly disconcerting and uncomfortable feeling. The GERD also always seems to flare up my gastritis, and with that I'll get awful stomach pain below my ribcage/above my bellybutton.
I'm with Mayflower, have you had an upper endoscopy? Are you on any reflux meds like Prilosec, Zantac, etc?
I'm with Mayflower, have you had an upper endoscopy? Are you on any reflux meds like Prilosec, Zantac, etc?
- Location
- Nottingham, UK
I also have GERD- and suffer with the same nausea/ vurps type symptoms as Cat. Mine is probably due to a hernia.
I'm guessing that with Crohn's, the ulcers would be deeper in the tissue, since in the intestines Crohn's ulcers start in the middle of the wall and then burst through into the lumen (hole in the middle of the intestine). Whereas ulcers caused by acid would start in the lumen and then tunnel deeper.
Maybe the type of symptoms will also help them differentiate between stomach Crohn's and GERD. Like me and Cat suffer with the feeling of stomach contents coming up, so this suggests that the sphincter at the top of the stomach is not doing it's job, therefore less likely to be directly related to the Crohn's. Whereas heartburn type symptoms could be caused by Crohn's ulcers, and there actually isn't any stomach acid coming up the oesophagus.
Maybe one reason why a lot of Crohn's sufferers have GERD is because the digestive system is more 'sensitive' so even a small amount of acid (which wouldn't bother anyone else) causes ulcerations and discomfort, in the same way as scratchy foods can cause discomfort the other end?
But I agree with the others, you really ought to get a scope. I have been told to use Gaviscon Advance to treat the symptoms, as it's safe to use long term and has less side effects than prescription meds.
I'm guessing that with Crohn's, the ulcers would be deeper in the tissue, since in the intestines Crohn's ulcers start in the middle of the wall and then burst through into the lumen (hole in the middle of the intestine). Whereas ulcers caused by acid would start in the lumen and then tunnel deeper.
Maybe the type of symptoms will also help them differentiate between stomach Crohn's and GERD. Like me and Cat suffer with the feeling of stomach contents coming up, so this suggests that the sphincter at the top of the stomach is not doing it's job, therefore less likely to be directly related to the Crohn's. Whereas heartburn type symptoms could be caused by Crohn's ulcers, and there actually isn't any stomach acid coming up the oesophagus.
Maybe one reason why a lot of Crohn's sufferers have GERD is because the digestive system is more 'sensitive' so even a small amount of acid (which wouldn't bother anyone else) causes ulcerations and discomfort, in the same way as scratchy foods can cause discomfort the other end?
But I agree with the others, you really ought to get a scope. I have been told to use Gaviscon Advance to treat the symptoms, as it's safe to use long term and has less side effects than prescription meds.
Went to the CCFC Education seminar in Edmonton on Sunday. One of the presenters informed us that since 40 -45% of the "normal" population has GERD ( either diagnosed or undiagnosed) the chances that Crohnnies have GERD as well are good. Not that the Crohn's makes you more prone to GERD or that there is a relationship between having the two.
With UC, they said that some of the medications used to relax the bowel, could also relax the sphincter at the top of the stomach resulting in a previously low grade or undetected GERD becoming more obvious.
With UC, they said that some of the medications used to relax the bowel, could also relax the sphincter at the top of the stomach resulting in a previously low grade or undetected GERD becoming more obvious.