What Is Bile Reflux?

Acid reflux is a condition that occurs when stomach acids flow back up into the esophagus. Bile reflux is the flow of bile, which is produced by the liver, from the liver into the stomach and into the esophagus. The flow of bile from the liver into the stomach and the esophagus is a painful condition that leads to inflammation of the esophagus and the lining of the stomach.

Causes

• Food enters into the small intestine from the stomach through the pyloric valve. Typically, this valve allows only a small amount of food to pass through and does not open sufficiently to allow bile to back up from the intestine into the stomach. A damaged valve can cause bile to flow into the stomach and a number of causes are responsible for this condition.

  Surgical damage to the pyloric valve is the most common cause of this condition. Patients who have suffered from a gastric bypass or a gallbladder removal surgery are more susceptible to this condition. Stomach ulcers can cause the condition as well.

Symptoms

• Acid reflux has many of the same symptoms as bile reflux, which makes it difficult to diagnose properly. Nausea, weight loss without a cause, pain in the upper part of the abdomen, vomiting the bile, and a cough or hoarse throat are some of the symptoms of bile reflux. Patients suffering from bile reflux will often notice a sour taste in their mouth and a burning sensation that starts in the chest and moves to the throat.

  An endoscopic procedure will be performed on patients who are suffering from bile reflux and acid reflux to assess damage to the esophagus and to take samples of tissue to test for esophageal cancer.

Treatments and Medications

• Proton pump inhibitors are medications that are prescribed for stomach ulcers and acid reflux. These can help patients who are suffering from bile reflux, as well. Surgery is recommended when medications do not work to relieve the condition. Surgery can divert the bile away from the stomach by creating a new place for bile to drain farther away.

Acid Reflux and Bile Reflux

• Most patients who are suffering from bile reflux are also suffering from acid reflux. Acid reflux can be managed with lifestyle changes and eliminating foods that worsen the symptoms. Bile reflux does not appear to be connected to any lifestyle choice and will not be affected by changes made to diet or stress levels.

Possible Complications

• Some significant complications can result from bile reflux. When the esophagus is repeatedly exposed to bile or stomach acids, scarring can occur that will cause the esophagus to become narrower.

  Esophageal cancer is a very dangerous form of cancer. There may be a connection between bile reflux and esophageal cancer, although some in the medical community dispute the connection.

  Bile reflux can also lead to gastritis and eventually to stomach ulcers and bleeding in the stomach. This condition is extremely dangerous and must be treated immediately.