Bile reflux is a condition in which the bile backs up into the stomach and/or theesophagus.
Bile is a digestive liquid produced by the liver and is used by the intestines to digest food.
Changing the diet or making lifestyle changes may not help with the symptoms of bile reflux.
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The condition may be managed with medications, but in some cases surgery could also be needed.
This article discusses the symptoms and potential causes of bile reflux.
It also covers risk factors and when to seek tests or treatment for your symptoms.
Bile reflux is a different condition because it shows up when bile flows into the stomach or esophagus.
However, both conditions can be present in the same person.
Symptoms of Bile Reflux
The symptoms of bile reflux are similar to several other conditions.
Weight loss procedures (bariatric surgery) are the most common surgeries resulting in bile reflux.
Surgery to remove the gallbladder is also associated with a higher risk of bile reflux.
Stomach reflux: The pyloric valve is located where the stomach meets the small intestine.
Its a small opening, and its only supposed to allow the stomach contents to pass one way.
Apeptic ulceris a sore in the lining of theesophagus, stomach, or duodenum.
If an ulcer affects the pyloric valve, it could prevent the valve from opening and closing properly.
This could allow bile to back up into the stomach.
Esophageal reflux:The lower esophageal sphincter is a valve at the bottom of the esophagus.
It opens up to allow food to pass from the esophagus into the stomach.
Food is not supposed to come back up into the esophagus.
However, that wont help with bile reflux.
This is why its important to get a diagnosis.
Some medications are used to treat bile reflux.
Medications
Bile acid sequestrants: These medications might also be called bile acid resins (BAR).
They bind with the bile.
That causes the bile to become ineffective, and it passes out of the body in stool.
Carafate (sucralfate): This medication is used to treat peptic ulcers.
It works by coating the lining of the stomach and the small intestine.
It is a small part of the overall composition of bile.
It has been used to treat certain liver diseases and disorders of the bile ducts.
It can have side effects of diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.
Surgery
Having bile acids flow into the stomach or esophagus can cause damage and inflammation.
If this continues for a long time, it can increase cancer risk.
Surgery might be considered for people still having symptoms even after trying to treat them with medications.
Exposure to bile can cause inflammation in those areas.
This inflammation could lead to complications such as ulcers.
Bile reflux could be complicated with also havinggastroesophageal acid reflux (GERD).
Havingulcersand inflammation (gastritis) in the stomach from reflux is associated with developinggastric cancer.
Some of these risks are not well studied, so how often they occur is still not understood.
Its thought that developing cancer due to bile reflux after havinggastric bypass surgerymay be uncommon or even rare.
Are There Tests to Diagnose Bile Reflux?
Bile reflux isnt always easy to diagnose.
Reflux might be suspected or diagnosed based on the symptoms.
But knowing that it is from bile reflux may take more investigating.
Summary
Bile reflux has symptoms that are similar to other, more common conditions such as GERD.
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