Video: Diagnosing and treating non-acid reflux

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You've heard of acid-reflux disease. Now there's another form called non-acid reflux.

Although it can be treated, doctors had difficultly diagnosing it - until now.

Two years ago, Sylvia Gustafson's life changed forever. While working as a hospital nurse, a patient tried to strangle her.

"I lost my voice within the hour," said Gustafson.

The attack damaged her esophagus, lungs and vocal cords. She can only talk in a whisper, amplified by a voice box.

"But I still feel grateful that I still got a little voice," said Gustafson.

She also started having asthma symptoms. Dr. Donald Castell is seeing a trend with people on medication for acid reflux.

"It's a phenomenon that's occurred because of all the drugs that are out there now that control acid so well. They'll stop the acid, but they don't stop the reflux," said Castell, gastroenterologist at the University of South Carolina.

It's called non-acid reflux. It can cause chronic cough, asthma, indigestion and nausea - symptoms not typically linked to acid reflux.

"If we can detect it, then we're going to have a much better chance of treating it," said Castell.

Typical monitors depend on ph levels. This new monitor can detect reflux when there's no acid present by measuring electrical resistance in the esophagus.

"It's a huge step forward," said Castell.

When patients learn reflux is the problem, they can have surgery to fix it. Gustafson wore the new monitor for 24 hours.

"It showed 144 reflux episodes and the normal is below 40," said Gustafson.

She had surgery and her reflux is gone. She's still fighting her way back to a normal life, but she's optimistic.

"I think you need to be just thankful for what you have," said Gustafson.

In one study, non-acid reflux disease was found to be the culprit in 26 percent of patients who had chronic cough. Once it's found, doctors say treatment works.