Heartburn Testing Overview:
In order to gauge your current state of health, our clinic will often request copies of your last two years of medical testing and will often recommend further testing as needed. Our clinic does request some testing that is and not commonly performed in more "mainstream" medical clinics. 24-hour heavy metal testing with provoking agent, neurotransmitter analysis, food sensitivity testing, comprehensive stool testing and Candida antigen testing are commonly recommended by our medical staff. Some of these are discussed in detail in the links in this section.
What to Expect on Your First Visit:
First office visits typically last 45-60 minutes. Your doctor will review your intake form with you and gather a detailed medical history. A partial physical exam is usually performed and medical records are often requested from your primary care physician and/or other doctors. Specialty laboratory testing may be recommended. Most clients are offered an initial protocol consisting of nutritional supplementation, dietary and life style recommendations.
First Visit: Blood Test
To assess and identify kidney, liver, blood sugar and other key factors such as blood cholesterols. The results are explained to the patient, giving him/her a fuller understanding of the blood chemistry, so that they may take control.
Patients are required to fast for 14 hours before the test. Water may be drunk freely, but not tea, coffee, juices or other beverages. Appointments are normally arranged for mid-morning so that food and drink can be consumed up to 8pm the previous evening. On the day of the appointment, any prescribed medication should be taken with water as normal.
Patients are recommended to bring food to eat after the blood sample has been taken. Diabetics should advise the clinic, and separate arrangements will be made.
First Visit: Urine Analysis
To establish exactly how the kidneys are functioning. Patients are required to collect urine over a period of 24 hours. This should be as near the date of the blood test as possible, but must not include the 14 hours fasting period prior to the appointment.
A recommended timetable is that the first urine of the day should be excluded, than all subsequent urine for the next 24 hours collected in clean plastic containers. (If collection starts at 8am, this process must be followed until 8am the following day.) Eg. Appointment 10am Friday, fasting commences Thursday 8pm. Urine collection starts Wednesday 8am. until Thursday 8am.
Containers should be clearly labeled with the patient’s names and brought to the clinic at the time of their appointment.
First Visit: Resting ECG for Doctors Report
The electrocardiograph (ECG) determines the condition of the heart and measures its actions and the pulse.
The doctor in charge reports any findings in his medical notes.
Specific Heartburn Testing:
Heartburn is a burning sensation that rises from your stomach or lower chest up towards your throat. Occasionally it may feel like food is coming back up, and some people get an acid or bitter taste in the back of the mouth. Heartburn can last for several hours and is often worse after eating, or when lying down or bending over. Heartburn is the most common symptom of reflux.
Reflux occurs when acid in your stomach, which is there to help you digest your food, rises up into your oesophagus (the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach), causing pain, irritation and discomfort.
What is an Upper Endoscopy?
An upper endoscopy is a procedure that allows direct examination of the upper GI tract with a long lighted scope called an endoscope. The endoscope is inserted through the mouth and passes into the esophagus while the patient is sedated.
Indications and Contraindications
The upper endoscopy procedure is a test that is used to evaluate conditions such as:
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD)
- Abdominal pain
- Heart burn
- Swallowing disorders
- Dysphagia
- Ulcer symptoms or dyspepsia
Upper endoscopy is contraindicated to the following conditions:
- Severe upper GI tract bleeding
- Esophageal diverticula
- Recent upper GI tract surgery
- Rheumatic heart disease
- Endocarditis
- Patient has an artificial heart valve
- Pregnancy
How do you prepare for the Upper Endoscopy?
- Patient is restrained from eating starting midnight of the day of the endoscopy
- Remove dentures and eyewear before test
- Prepare for endoscopy by doing proper oral hygiene before the test
- Inform your physician of any medications that you are taking and follow instructions on how to take them at the day of the test
- Talk to our doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form.
How does it feel? How long will it take?
The endoscopy will take approximately 30 minutes. The endoscope will be inserted gently through the mouth but you will be lightly sedated and anesthetized on the throat so you will not feel any pain. In some cases, test may be slightly uncomfortable. The endoscope will not interfere with your normal breathing.
Expected effects after the test:
You might experience temporary hoarseness or throat irritation after the endoscopy. This may be minimized by taking lozenges. Because you have been sedated for the procedure, you might experience drowsiness and dizziness after the test. Bloating, flatulence and belching are also some of the common effects of endoscopy.
Special instructions after the test:
If you have diabetes, bring your medication so you can take it after the procedure. You will need to rest and wait until the sedative wears off before you can leave the facility. Do not drive at least 8 hours after the endoscopy. Have an adult to drive you home after the test. Notify health care professional if complications such as bleeding, vomiting and severe stomach pains occur. Follow the instructions of your physician on when you can eat or drink after the test.
Interpretation of Results:
Results of the upper endoscopy are available shortly after the examination. If a biopsy has been performed, the results will be available approximately one week after the test.
Normal Findings: Normal esophagus, stomach and duodenum. Smooth and color is normal. Absence of inflammation, ulcers, bleeding and abnormal growth.
Abnormal Findings:
- Ulcers and abnormal growths indicate peptic ulcer and tumors of the esophagus, stomach or duodenum
- Outpouching of the esophagus indicate esophageal diverticula
- Compressed lower esophagus indicates hiatal hernia
- Ulcers and tumors may be sources of upper GI tract bleeding
- Presence of peptic stricture and scarring
- Esophagitis
- Gastric ulcer
Notes:
Notify health care professional if you experience the following conditions after endoscopy:
- Vomiting of blood
- Black tarry stools
- Severe stomach pains
- Fever
The Right Diagnosis and Treatment for Heartburn
Once the comprehensive review is completed for each patient, our doctors and our team of medical professionals will evaluate your diagnosis. At this point, our doctors will spend one on one time with you to interpret and explain your results. Together you will explore your goals and discuss your treatment plan options. These treatment plans can be implemented using multiple modalities such as medications, hormones, diet, supplements, behavior and lifestyle changes, and alternative therapies. Our doctors will prescribe a preventative and comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to your needs and fits into your lifestyle.
Patients Medical’s Personal Approach to Heartburn
Our doctors and our team at Patients Medical will regularly monitor your progress and track the effectiveness of your program making adjustments if necessary. Our goal is to support you and advise you every step of the way.
We work in conjunction with your existing doctors. Any gaps between specialists are filled to ensure we support your overall health and well-being. While we treat serious medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, anxiety, depression, and heart disease; the primary objective of our staff is prevention and early detection of disease.
Next Steps:
Poor health can significantly affect your life. Improve your life by changing to good health. Call our patient coordinator at 1-212-679-9667 or click on Request an Appointment to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors for evaluation and testing.
We are located at: Patients Medical PC, 800 Second Avenue, Suite 900 (Between 42nd & 43rd Street), Manhattan, NYC, New York, NY 10017.
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Article Last Updated: 06/26/2009