Reader's Digest Australia Feb/Mar 2026

In 2019, after enduring three years of headaches and frequent bouts of heartburn, In TIF, a small portion of the upper stomach is folded over the bottom of the esophagus and stapled in place. After the procedure, Bharadwaj says his quality of life improved, and he no lon- ger needed to take PPIs as often. “I used to take them once per day, minimum, sometimes twice,” he says. “Since the procedure, it’s been just three times per week. I get acid reflux sometimes, but it’s way more manage- able—less frequent and less intense.” GastroesophaGeal reflux disease (also known as chronic acid reflux) affects up to 25 percent of Europeans, around 12 percent of Australians and 23 percent of people in South America, according to a 2018 American study. When stomach acid repeatedly enters the esophagus, it can change the deli- cate tissue, which over time can lead to bleeding or ulcers. Complications may include narrowing of the passage due to repeated healing and scar formation, which can make swallowing difficult, or Barrett’s esophagus—permanent Murali Bharadwaj of London learned what sparked his discomfort: gastro- esophageal reflux disease (GERD), a chronic condition caused by stomach acid repeatedly rising into his esopha- gus. Whenever Bharadwaj drank beer or ate late in the evening, he experi- enced symptoms. “The acid reflux meant I couldn’t focus on the present moment, in meet- ings, playing sports or having social drinks with my friends,” says the now 41-year-old. “My thoughts always went to the burning sensation in my throat.” He began taking medication called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to lower the acidity in his stomach. It helped, but only a little. In 2021, his doctor sug- gested a procedure to strengthen his lower esophageal sphincter, the valve between the stomach and esophagus. Bharadwaj was skeptical, but when he learned that transoral incisionless fun- doplication (TIF) didn’t involve inva- sive surgery—it’s performed endoscop- ically through the mouth and esophagus—he decided to try it. 66    february/march 2026 changes in the lower esophagus lining that, in very rare cases, can lead to can- cer. Many people experience occasional acid reflux, perhaps after overindulging in alcohol or certain foods. The vast majority of people will never see a doc- tor about it, says Dr. Arjan Bredenoord, gastroenterologist at University Medi- cal Centers Amsterdam. And that’s okay, because “bothersome symptoms can be managed with lifestyle adjust- ments or over-the-counter antacids,” he says. But GERD is different. It happens when people experience heartburn, regurgitation, chronic cough, hoarse- ness or chest pain three or more times a week. People with GERD often also have a hiatal hernia—when part of the upper stomach pokes through the dia- phragmmuscle in the chest, making it easier for stomach contents to enter the esophagus. “The symptoms of GERD are typi- cally heartburn and regurgitation,” says Dr. Edoardo Savarino, assistant profes- sor of gastroenterology at the Univer- sity of Padua in Italy. “So when you have these two symptoms, it’s likely that you have reflux disease.” Doctors may diagnose GERD after performing an upper endoscopy to examine the esophagus. If it looks nor- mal, other tests may be offered, includ- ing catheter-based pH-impedance readersdigest.com.au     67