Skip to main content

Private 24-hour pH monitoring in London, the reference test for reflux.

The reference test for reflux - catheter or wireless Bravo capsule - with a proper DeMeester score and a pre- or post-fundoplication pathway if needed.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

Indicative pricing

What a private 24-hour pH study costs in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£850-£1,700, with a full DeMeester report in 3-5 days.

Study Indicative range
24-hour catheter pH study £850–£1,700
24-hour pH + impedance £1,000–£2,000
Bravo wireless capsule (48-96 hrs) £1,400–£2,800
Pre-fundoplication work-up bundle £1,600–£3,200
Post-fundoplication surveillance £900–£1,800
Paediatric pH study (specialist) £1,400–£2,800

Prices vary by unit, whether impedance is included, and whether a Bravo capsule is used.

The problem

Reflux that won’t settle - and no one has proved it.

Many people are given a PPI for years without objective evidence that reflux is the cause. A 24-hour pH study gives you the answer - and, if surgery is on the table, the piece of evidence a surgeon needs.

  • Still refluxing on a PPI?

    An on-PPI study with impedance shows whether acid or non-acid reflux is breaking through.

  • Thinking about a fundoplication?

    Surgeons want objective proof before offering a wrap. A pH study is the first step.

  • Endoscopy came back normal?

    Non-erosive reflux disease is common. Only a pH study can confirm it.

What it shows

Find the reason that matches your symptom.

A pH study answers a specific question about reflux that endoscopy cannot. These are the most common reasons people have the test.

  • Atypical or refractory reflux

    Confirms or excludes acid reflux when symptoms don’t settle on a PPI.

  • Laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms

    Hoarseness, throat clearing, chronic cough - objective evidence of reflux.

  • Non-cardiac chest pain

    After a normal cardiac work-up, links chest pain to acid or non-acid reflux.

  • Pre-fundoplication work-up

    Confirms pathological reflux before any anti-reflux surgery is considered.

  • Post-fundoplication surveillance

    Checks whether reflux has returned after a wrap.

  • Atypical asthma cough

    Separates reflux-driven cough from primary respiratory causes.

  • Non-erosive reflux disease

    The definitive test when the endoscopy is normal but symptoms persist.

  • Red flag: dysphagia, weight loss, GI bleeding

    Not a pH study - urgent endoscopy first.

Study types

Not all pH studies are the same.

What each option on your referral is actually for.

  • 24-hour catheter pH study

    A fine catheter passed through the nose records acid exposure in the lower oesophagus for 24 hours. The reference standard.

  • 24-hour pH + impedance

    Adds impedance to detect non-acid and weakly acidic reflux - essential when someone is on a PPI.

  • Bravo wireless capsule (48-96 hrs)

    A capsule is clipped to the oesophageal wall during a short OGD, recording for up to 96 hours with no catheter.

  • Pre-fundoplication work-up

    Combined pH study, manometry and endoscopy so the surgeon has objective evidence before a wrap.

  • Post-fundoplication surveillance

    A repeat pH study after anti-reflux surgery, to check the wrap is doing its job.

  • Off-PPI study

    PPI held for 7 days - the setup when you are trying to confirm or exclude GORD.

  • On-PPI study

    PPI continued - the setup when you are asking whether the PPI is actually working.

  • Paediatric pH study

    A specialist paediatric protocol, done in a paediatric gastroenterology unit.

Safety and eligibility

Very safe - but the setup matters.

pH monitoring is very safe. The important bits are the PPI setup, the diary, and picking catheter vs Bravo well.

  • Catheter for 24 hours

    The catheter sits behind the ear and clips to your clothing. Most people manage it comfortably and sleep through the night.

  • Bravo capsule

    Spares the catheter but has a small dislodgement rate. The capsule falls off naturally within 7-10 days and passes without you noticing.

  • Off-PPI, one week before

    If the aim is to diagnose GORD, stop the PPI 7 days before the study.

  • On-PPI

    If the aim is to assess PPI failure, keep taking it right up to and during the study.

  • Sit up during meals

    Eat normally, but stay upright during meals - the trace is only useful if your habits are recorded accurately in the diary.

  • Normal diet during test

    No special diet. Eat and drink what you would on a normal day, and note everything in the symptom diary.

  • Driving is fine

    No sedation for a catheter study, so driving is fine. For Bravo, driving is fine once the sedation from the placement OGD has fully worn off.

  • Pregnancy

    pH studies are generally deferred in pregnancy.

  • Always share prior endoscopy

    It changes which study is right and whether a wrap is on the table.

Reading your report

A pH-study report can look intimidating. It isn’t.

Whether it’s a catheter or a Bravo study, the report keeps to the same four parts.

A London consultant gastroenterologist reviewing a 24-hour pH monitoring trace

A quiet reminder

Read the impression first - the DeMeester score is the headline number.

If anything is unclear, ask your clinician to talk you through it before your follow-up.

  1. 01 Header

    Your details, indication and PPI status

    Your details, the indication for the study, and whether you were off or on a PPI.

  2. 02 Technique

    Catheter or wireless, and duration

    Which system was used (catheter or Bravo), where the sensors were placed, and how long the recording ran.

  3. 03 Findings

    DeMeester score and symptom correlation

    Total acid exposure time, number of reflux episodes, DeMeester score, and how well your recorded symptoms match reflux events.

  4. 04 Impression

    The conclusion: read this first

    The conclusion - GORD, non-acid reflux, functional heartburn - and the next step: PPI change, surgical opinion, or a functional-symptom pathway.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Frequently asked

Common questions about 24-hour pH monitoring.

Quick answers on catheter vs Bravo, PPIs, cost, safety and results.

  • What does 24-hour pH monitoring actually measure?

    It measures how often and for how long acid (and, with impedance, non-acid liquid) refluxes into the lower oesophagus over 24 hours or longer. The numbers are combined into a DeMeester score and matched against a symptom diary you keep during the study.

  • Catheter or Bravo - which should I choose?

    A catheter study is the reference standard, cheaper, and gives you a full 24 hours of data. A Bravo capsule spares you the catheter, records for up to 96 hours (which improves diagnostic yield), but requires a short OGD to place the capsule and has a small dislodgement rate. If cost is the deciding factor, catheter. If tolerating a catheter feels impossible or you are borderline on shorter studies, Bravo.

  • Should I stop my PPI before the test?

    It depends on the question. If the aim is to confirm or exclude GORD, PPIs must be held for 7 days before the study. If the question is whether the PPI is working, you carry on taking it.

  • Is the catheter uncomfortable?

    The first few hours feel strange - a mild awareness at the back of the nose or throat. Most people forget about it by evening and sleep through the night. If a catheter genuinely isn’t tolerable, Bravo is the alternative.

  • How much does a private 24-hour pH study cost in London?

    Adding impedance takes it to £1,000-£2,000. A Bravo wireless study is £1,400-£2,800.

  • Do I need a referral?

    A pH study is arranged with a short consultation first so the right setup - catheter vs Bravo, off-PPI vs on-PPI - is chosen for your question.

  • Can I drive during the study?

    Yes, for a catheter study there is no sedation and driving is fine throughout. For Bravo, driving is fine once the sedation from the placement OGD has fully worn off (usually the next day).

  • Is pH monitoring safe in pregnancy?

    It is usually deferred until after pregnancy unless there is a specific clinical reason.

  • How quickly do I get the results?

    The trace is analysed after you hand the recorder back. A written report with the DeMeester score, symptom correlation and impression follows in 3-5 days for catheter studies, 5-7 days for Bravo, and is explained to you.

  • When is anti-reflux surgery offered?

    A fundoplication is considered when the pH study proves pathological reflux, symptoms are typical, and either the PPI isn’t working well enough or you want to come off it. The pH study is the piece of objective evidence that lets a surgeon take a wrap seriously.

  • When should I see a GP urgently?

    New difficulty swallowing, unintentional weight loss, vomiting blood, or black tarry stools are red flags - you need an urgent endoscopy, not a pH study. Call your GP the same day, or 999 for vomiting fresh blood with faintness.

Related content

Looking for something different?

In practice, in London

Booking 24 hour PH monitoring privately in London - what actually happens

With 24 hour ph monitoring, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. Waiting lists on the NHS for 24 hour PH monitoring vary widely by borough and by how the GP letter reads. Privately in London, appointments can often be found inside the same week, sometimes within 48 hours if there’s a cancellation. The difference isn’t clinical quality - the consultants are frequently the same faces you’d see on the NHS - it’s the calendar.

In practice, a private 24 hour PH monitoring appointment in London means a named consultant, a proper hour in the room (or the equivalent on a video call), and a report you can actually read. Many imaging suites and endoscopy units sit within a mile of Harley Street or in Chelsea and Fulham, and turnaround on findings is measured in days, not weeks. For 24 hour ph monitoring specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

There are dozens of consultants in London who see 24 hour PH monitoring - but not all of them are the right fit for every case. The right first appointment saves you from repeating yourself later.