GERD & Acid Reflux Symptoms
September 21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Acid Reflux Basics
Do you have a sharp or burning pain in your chest after you eat? Is it worse when you lie down or bend over? Perhaps you have a sour or bitter taste in your mouth, or you awaken in the morning with hoarseness or a sore throat.
These could be symptoms of Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or commonly called GERD. It’s a digestive disorder. Your stomach’s juices flow backwards into your esophagus (the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach). This reflux causes the lining of the esophagus to become inflamed.
Left untreated, it can permanently damage the esophagus. Sometimes people call this heartburn, but heartburn is only one symptom of GERD. Besides the sharp chest pain, hoarseness, sore throat or sour taste, other symptoms of GERD include:
Backflow of stomach fluids into your mouth (regurgitation)
Nausea
Difficulty swallowing, especially while eating
Tightness in your chest or upper abdomen. This pain can wake you up in the middle of the night and could sometimes be mistaken for a heart attack.
GERD is usually easily treated with a prescription or over-the-counter medication. You should talk with your doctor about the best course for treatment. Then start enjoying eating again!
