Is There a Unifying Role for Visceral Hypersensitivity and Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Non-Erosive Reflux Disease?

Non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) is a common condition, characterized by symptoms that are attributable to reflux of gastric content into the esophagus in the absence of erosive lesions in the distal esophagus. The underlying pathophysiology is considered to be multifactorial. This review summarizes the current understanding of the role of visceral hypersensitivity in the pathogenesis of NERD symptoms and the mechanisms implicated in the pathogenesis of esophageal hypersensitivity.