What was Charlie Sheen’s cancer scare really about?

Charlie Sheen is known for his “I don’t care” tough-guy attitude, but the actor wasn’t so confident about things just a few months ago when a cancer scare became a part of his reality.

For much of 2014, Sheen was secretly dealing with the possibility of throat cancer, a potential diagnosis mentioned by his doctor when he began losing his voice on the set of “Anger Management.”

SEE ALSO: Throat cancer: All you need to know

The concerned actor visited a specialist who informed him a “very aggressive procedure” that could cause irreparable damage to his dental work and voice was needed to address the issue.

Sheen told The National Enquirer in an interview he was terrified but determined to overcome what could potentially be a life-threatening condition.

Thankfully, the actor never had to face the trials of surgery or throat cancer treatment. After seeking a second opinion, the true cause for his throat issue was revealed: “laryngeal inflammation” due to a case of acid reflux.

Acid reflux is a common condition, affecting approximately 20 percent of Americans. According to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), occurs when chronic reflux of stomach contents and acid damage the lining of the esophagus. It is possible for someone to experience occasional acid reflux without a diagnosis of GERD, but if symptoms have progressed to the point of vocal ability loss, GERD is much more likely.

Though Charlie Sheen was spared surgical intervention related to cancer, there is still a chance the actor may eventually need a procedure done to address his symptoms. A big part of managing GERD is maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, including avoiding overeating?particularly acidic and fat-laden foods?and eliminating or reducing smoking and alcohol consumption. Sheen has a long history of indulging in just those things.

If he cannot maintain the dietary and lifestyle changes required to manage his acid reflux, he may eventually need a surgery called a fundoplication. “Surgical therapy is available for those who do not respond to lifestyle and medication therapy or who do not wish to remain on medications,” states ASGE.

“Surgery consists of wrapping the top of the stomach to reform the natural acid barrier and fixing the defect in the diaphragm and hiatal hernia if present. The decision of medical versus surgical therapy depends on how well the patient is likely to tolerate surgery, their response to medical therapy and the underlying causes of the GERD. In addition, there are several endoscopic treatments for GERD. However, these are still relatively new and, for the most part, unproven or still investigational.”

SEE ALSO: Natural remedies for acid reflux

Only time will tell if Charlie Sheen will be able to manage his acid reflux without extensive intervention.

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