- What symptoms
- Possible causes
- How to confirm the diagnosis
- How the treatment is done
- How to prevent
- Home Remedies
Bile reflux, also known as duodenogastric reflux, occurs when bile, which is released from the gallbladder into the first portion of the intestine, returns to the stomach or even the esophagus, causing inflammation of the gastric mucosa. When this happens, changes in the protective mucus layers and an increase in pH in the stomach can occur.
For these reasons, people with bile reflux are more likely to proliferate bacteria, gastroesophageal reflux and symptoms such as abdominal pain in the upper part, nausea and vomiting.
Treatment consists of taking medications and and in more serious cases, surgery may be necessary.
What symptoms
Bile reflux can be difficult to distinguish from acid reflux, because the signs and symptoms are very similar and can occur at the same time. The most common symptoms are:
- Upper abdominal pain; Burning sensation in the chest; Nausea; Greenish yellow vomiting; Cough or hoarseness; Weight loss.
Although the symptoms are very similar to those of gastroesophageal reflux, they are considered distinct problems and, therefore, the diagnosis must always be made by a gastroenterologist. See what are the characteristic symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux.
Possible causes
Bile is an essential fluid for the digestion of fats, to eliminate worn-out red blood cells and some toxins from the body. This substance is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
When food is eaten with fat, the gallbladder releases the bile that is transported to the duodenum. Bile and food mix in the duodenum, after food enters the small intestine through the pyloric valve, which usually opens and closes only to pass the food. However, in cases of bile reflux, this valve does not close properly and the bile is able to rise to the stomach.
In addition, bile and stomach acid can reflux into the esophagus, when the esophageal sphincter, which separates the esophagus from the stomach, does not function properly.
These problems that cause reflux of bile can be caused by surgical complications, such as gastric surgery, peptic ulcers, which can block the pyloric valve or surgery on the gallbladder.
How to confirm the diagnosis
Generally, in order to diagnose bile reflux problems, a gastroenterologist should be consulted, who, in addition to assessing symptoms and clinical history, should also order some diagnostic tests, such as endoscopy and esophageal impedance, which allow the assessment of whether there is really bile reflux., mainly for the esophagus.
Find out how the endoscopy is done and what the necessary preparation is.
How the treatment is done
Bile reflux is curable, but its treatment can take longer and, for this reason, it is very important to follow the gastroenterologist's guidelines properly.
The most common is that medications indicated by the doctor are used. One of the most used is ursodeoxycholic acid, which is a substance that helps to promote the circulation of bile, thus reducing the frequency and intensity of symptoms. However, other drugs, known as bile acid scavengers, can also be indicated, which bind to them in the intestine, preventing their resorption.
However, when symptoms do not improve with the use of medications, the gastroenterologist can advise you to have surgery. In this surgery, known as bypass surgery, the surgeon creates a new connection for the drainage of the bile lower in the small intestine, bypassing the bile from the stomach.
How to prevent
In order to avoid episodes of bile reflux, the ideal is to stop smoking, eat shorter meals, avoid going to bed right after meals, avoiding foods with fat and alcohol intake, losing excess weight and relaxing, since the stress can worsen reflux symptoms.
Home Remedies
There are natural ways to reduce bile reflux, such as taking slippery elm capsules or drinking chamomile, alteia or licorice tea. Learn how to prepare licorice tea.
