GORD Diagnosis

Medically reviewed by:

Dr Sarah Marshall - Medical Officer

Updated: Aug 18, 2021

Next review: Aug 18, 2022

GORD has a variety of symptoms, but the main ones are recurrent heartburn and acid reflux, so it can usually be diagnosed by our doctors during an online consultation, without the need for further tests.

By asking the right questions and ruling out other possible health conditions, they will make sure you get the most suitable treatment and help stop the condition from affecting your life.

Our doctors will ask you to describe your symptoms and how they are impacting you. They will also ask how often you experience them, and whether you notice if anything triggers them. Giving the doctor as much information as possible will make sure you get the right diagnosis.

GORD can often be treated with medications – if over the counter medications have not helped, the ones prescribed by a doctor are stronger.

Should your symptoms not be consistent with GORD, or are unusual, then you may be referred for tests or other investigative procedures to get an accurate diagnosis.

These tests may include an endoscopy, where a camera is put down your throat to see how your digestive system is working and whether any damage can be seen in your oesophagus.

The doctor or specialist may also want to monitor the levels of acid in your oesophagus over 24 hours (24-hour ambulatory oesophageal pH monitoring), or you may be referred for blood tests.

Another test is a barium swallow. You take a drink of a special fluid, which then shows up on an X-ray so the specialist can look for any abnormalities.

If, in severe cases, it is believed that surgery may be an option for you, a manometry may be used to check how the muscles at the bottom of your oesophagus are working.

NHS, Heartburn and acid reflux, 24/08/2017.
nhs.uk/conditions/heartburn-and-acid-reflux/
Health Direct, GORD Diagnosis, 01/11/2016.
healthdirect.gov.au/gord-diagnosis

Dr Sarah Marshall - Medical Officer

How our doctors diagnose GORD

Tests for GORD

Related Articles