June 21 Lecture Will Provide Easy-to-Digest Information on Acid Reflux Disease

If you have frequent heartburn, and those little chewables aren’t doing it for you, Dr. Kamran Ayub, a gastroenterologist at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, has a lecture for you.  

Dr. Ayub, medical director of the Advanced Endoscopy Center at Silver Cross Hospital, will present a lecture on the causes, symptoms and especially new treatments available for acid reflux disease at 5 p.m. on June 21 in the lower level of Pavilion A in conference rooms 1A & 1B, located on the campus of Silver Cross Hospital.  

“Some of these endoscopic treatments I perform are available only at Silver Cross Hospital,” Dr. Ayub said. “And there is an 85-90 percent success rate.” 

Acid reflux disease – diagnosed usually when a person has heartburn once a week – has a rising incidence for decades, Dr. Ayub said. 

“Acid reflux occurs when the junction between the esophagus and the stomach becomes loose, and the stomach contents can regurgitate or reflux back into the esophagus. The esophagus can’t handle the stomach acid, and this leads to irritation and inflammation of the lining of the esophagus leading to symptoms of reflux disease. Symptoms can include heartburn and regurgitation,” explained Dr. Ayub. 

“Sometimes, it may present as a constant cough, throat clearing, asthma, chest pain or hoarseness. Mostly, the risk factors are obesity and diet, but smoking and overuse of alcohol play a part as well.” 

Left untreated, the acid occurring in the esophagus can cause permanent damage, Dr. Ayub added, progressing to a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which can progress to cancer over time. Cancer of the esophagus is the fastest rising cancer in the United States today, and it is one of the deadliest cancers known to mankind.  

“So, we want to make sure we treat the reflux before it causes any irreversible damage,” he said. 

Acid reflux treatments that Dr. Ayub performs are incisionless, allowing the patient to go home the same day.  

“The lecture will be approximately on hour, including 15 minutes or so at the end to answer any questions. I hope people who are having acid reflux issues can attend,” said Dr. Ayub. 

To register for the lecture online, please visit silvercross.org/classes-events, or call 815-300-7091.