by Ravinder K. Mittal
During the last quarter century, there has been an explosion of knowledge in the areas of visceral and esophageal pain. The effectiveness of acid inhibition drugs (proton pump inhibitors), still the mainstay of treatment, is increasingly questioned as significant numbers of patients show little benefit from such therapy. Newer mechanisms of esophageal pain have been uncovered during last twenty years and it is quite clear that novel approaches are emerging in the treatment of pain.