Possible Device That Help You To Overcome Your Heartburn Acid Reflux Problem
Great news to patients who have suffered severe acid reflux heartburn problems for years. Hopsital has found a possible treatment for your problem. Here is the story below:
Technology spun off from the Medical College of Wisconsin could provide relief for patients who suffer from severe acid reflux.
Reza Shaker, a Medical College gastroenterologist, is testing a prototype device he created that uses pressure to keep stomach acid from rising into the throat.
Patients wear the adjustable band around their necks at night. A small pad in front applies a slight amount of pressure just below the Adam’s apple to keep stomach contents down.
Dubbed the Reza-Band by his investors, the device is the foundation for a new company.
Somna Therapeutics LLC expects to announce in the next few weeks that it has raised more than $1 million, with local angel investors Tom Shannon and Jeff Harris leading the fundraising.
“Reza Shaker’s idea isn’t only good, it also has a large market, no competition, clear regulatory pathway and intellectual property protection applied for,” said Shannon, who formerly led Prodesse Inc., a Waukesha biotech company.
Matching inventors with investors represents a new push for the Medical College, which is putting more emphasis on developing and commercializing technology, said Joe Hill, director of the college’s technology development office. The school took an equity stake in the company.
Shaker, which is pronounced Shah-keer, said he and others in his lab cobbled together the Reza-Band with elastic bands, gauze, tape and Velcro.
In two small Medical College studies, the device helped 28 patients with a severe type of acid reflux called extraesophageal reflux disease, or EERD.
People with the disease suffer from chronic cough, hoarse voices, asthma, throat irritation, difficulty swallowing and postnasal drip. They are more prone to bronchitis and pneumonia, and can be at increased risk for bone fractures because of prolonged use of acid-reducing pills that can affect nutrient absorption, said Nick Maris, Somna’s chief executive officer.
“Your throat is made for air. It’s not made for last night’s pepperoni pizza,” Maris said.
The Reza-Band won’t stop acid from rising into the esophagus, but it could help some 15 million people in the U.S. who have regurgitation into their throat, Maris said.
Strong potential
Doctors recommend diet changes, prescription acid reducers, and a host of wedge pillows, bed raisers and even sleeping in recliners to keep stomach content down.
The Reza-Band “will either be a nice addition to the tool kit physicians use to manage this disease, or it will become the standard of care for EERD,” Maris said. “And if that’s the case, it’s a very, very big deal.”
Shaker wants to think of the Reza-Band as a patient aid rather than a moneymaking device.
“The beauty of this device is, when it works, you will know the next morning because you’re not coughing and hacking and wheezing,” Shaker said.
The band was developed with help from partners in the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, a collaboration of eight area institutions including the Medical College. Shaker is the institute’s director.
Among the challenges to developing the device were finding the best way to fit the band to each patient, and deciding how much pressure to apply, Shaker said.
Somna hopes to have the Reza-Band on the market by mid-2013, said Maris, who previously was chief operating officer for a division of Serigraph Inc. and spent 15 years in the medical device industry.
Shannon said his vision is for the company to begin selling the Reza-Band through doctors, but ultimately market the product in retail channels the way GlaxoSmithKline sells Breathe Right nasal strips.
“There’s a decent shot at it becoming a very large-revenue company very quickly,” Maris said.
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Acid Reflux May Cause Damages To Your Teeth
It is interesting to learn that your toothache could be due to your long term acid reflus problem.
Dental erosion stems from more than acidic intake and environmental causes, but has also been strongly linked to acid reflux. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is the leading cause in dental erosion.
If there is a malfunction with the esophagus — a tube that links the mouth to the stomach — and the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, that works as a ring of muscle fibers closing off re-entrance relaxes, stomach acids that are supposed to be blocked from entering the esophagus travels back up to the mouth.
However, the acid landing in the mouth does more damage than one would think. The toxic stomach acids that makes its way back up to the mouth ends up wearing away the enamel on the teeth, which is designed to initially protect the exterior surfaces from damage, stains and cavities. Once the enamel is continuously damaged and consequently dissolved by the likes of GERD, tooth erosion and decay can occur.
GERD is not always plainly evident from the unmistakable pain of heartburn and belching. Many could be walking around with its imperceptible, yet abusive nature beating on one’s body and teeth. Silent GERD can usually be determined by a dentist, or it can be seen as a warning sign if you are left with a sour taste in your mouth without explanation.
Symptoms of GERD include heartburn, a burning sensation under the breastbone in the chest, nausea after eating and coughing or wheezing. Other symptoms are difficulty swallowing, a sore throat, hiccups, hoarseness and a change in voice.
If your dentist agrees that the loss of enamel on your teeth is not due to the grinding of your teeth, then go see a doctor to determine whether it is related to gastroesophageal reflux.
There are many treatments, however, to resolving GERD and its disastrous effects on one’s dental health. Changing one’s diet, avoiding drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and instead substituting those for acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a better alternative to relieving pain.
In addition, over-the-counter antacids help to quickly lessen pain after meals and before bedtime. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs are also another suitable treatment for the symptoms of GERD that alternatively give you longer relief than antacids.
Applying techniques associated with heartburn helps to prevent further discomfort of GERD and its detrimental symptoms and effects on dental health.
If GERD is not treated, ulcers and esophageal cancer can result, in addition to the deterioration of your teeth.
It is very important to make sure to go in for yearly checkup appointments with a doctor or dentist, and to follow the needed lifestyle changes to keep your smile healthy, and root cause resolved.
Sources:
Livestrong.com. Web. Published 18 May 2011. “5 Things You Need to Know About Dental Erosion and Acid Reflux.”
http://www.livestrong.com/article/6031-need-dental-erosion-acid-reflux
U.S. National Library of Medicine: PubMed Health. Web. Published on 11 August 2011. “Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001311
Delta Dental: Learn About Oral Health and Wellness. Web. Published on 30 December 2010. “Prevent Dental Erosion Due to GERD.”
http://oralhealth.deltadental.com/adult/medicalconditions/22,Delta137
Hindawi: International Journal of Dentistry. Web. Published on 14 September 2011. “Review Article: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Tooth Erosion.”
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijd/2012/479850
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