GERD is a very common disease, one that occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter opens up spontaneously or is not able to close properly and in turn the contents of the stomach are able to rise up into the esophagus. This disease can be incredibly painful, so much in fact that it can even be debilitating.
Differential Diagnosis of GERD
A differential diagnosis of GERD happens when a doctor misdiagnoses the condition. In other words they tell the patient that they have a problem other than GERD when really GERD is the problem at hand. This is a common occurrence, as the symptoms of GERD are so general that they relate to a variety of other health conditions as well.
A differential diagnosis of GERD can be dangerous, especially if the condition is already quite serious to begin with. Not only will the patient have to continue to deal with the pain of the disease but it can actually cause an onset of various other diseases.
When to Call the Doctor
It is very important to get help for a condition such as this as soon as you can, and so if you ever begin experiencing any of the symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn, dry cough, asthma symptoms, and trouble swallowing. Also make sure that you do not receive a differential diagnosis of GERD, and remember that a differential diagnosis of GERD can go either way.
Either you may be told that you have GERD when you really do not, or you may have GERD and your doctor may think that you have another health condition. In order to make sure that you have received a proper diagnosis, you will need to do some research on your own. Of course your doctor is a medical professional and knows what they are doing, but it is easy to make a misdiagnosis.
You will want to read up on the different conditions that come with the symptoms you are experiencing, and then you will be able to figure out which seems closest to what you are actually going through. Also make sure to keep an eye on your condition as you will notice whether you are making improvement or not. If you are, then you were most likely diagnosed properly, and if not, then maybe there was a misdiagnosis made.
It is important to work together with your doctor through all of this in order to best treat your condition and get you back to feeling like your old self again.
