You may have heard of reflux, reflux esophagitis, or even hiatus hernia… all of these are names for GERD: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. GERD is a backflow of acid from the stomach into the esophagus.
Just about everybody experiences reflux at some point in their lives — if you’ve had heartburn, you’ve probably had gastroesophageal reflux. GERD is a step beyond, when the reflux is bad enough and frequent enough to damage the esophagus and alter your quality of life.
The main symptoms of GERD are:
- Heartburn
- Regurgitation of sour-tasting stomach acid into the mouth
- Difficulty swallowing or painful swallowing
- Chest pain
You may also experience other symptoms like:
- Asthma and/or wheezing
- Coughing
- Vocal cord inflammation and voice hoarseness
- Sore throat
Some of the symptoms — like the coughing and sore throat — may not even seem like a reflux issue! But symptoms can be deceiving. What looks like innocent allergies may actually be Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services estimates that there are seven million GERD sufferers in the U.S. Your chance of developing GERD goes up past the age of forty, though anyone — including children — can have GERD. The disease is caused by a weakening of the gate that keeps the lower end of your esophagus closed — when the gate is relaxed, stomach acid can creep up into the esophagus and cause damage.
GERD does not have a cure, but you can make diet and lifestyle changes to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. The major factor in reflux attacks is eating. Meals cause the stomach to produce acid for digestion. Lying down after eating can also increase your chances of experiencing reflux. Even bending over or wearing tight-fitting clothing can trigger symptoms.
Monitor your reflux attacks and keep a diary if you can — identifying the particular foods or activities that leave you in distress can help your doctor diagnose and treat you. If you believe that your acid reflux may be GERD, call your doctor!