What is gastroesophageal reflux disease and what are the symptoms?
Read about Diagnosis and Treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (including GERD surgery).
What is heartburn?
Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest that may occur after eating, bending, stretching, exercise and sometimes at night when lying down. Heartburn symptoms are usually relieved by antacids and over-the-counter medications called PPI’s (proton pump inhibitors) or H2 blockers (histamine receptor blockers).
Approximately 10 percent of adults have heartburn at least once a week and 30 percent of adults experience heartburn monthly. Some pregnant women experience heartburn almost daily as a result of increased abdominal pressure and the hormonal changes of pregnancy.
Although its name implies otherwise, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart. Rather, heartburn is a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.
What is GERD?
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease occurs when the contents of the stomach travel back up into the esophagus. When you swallow, food passes down your throat and through your esophagus to your stomach. A valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) controls the passage of food from the esophagus to the stomach when you swallow. It remains tightly closed except when you swallow food. When this muscle fails to close or opens spontaneously, the acid, bile and food contents of the stomach can travel backward into the esophagus. When stomach acid enters the lower part of the esophagus, it can produce a burning sensation, commonly referred to as heartburn.
Several factors might explain why reflux occurs and might offer some clues for relief:
- The position of your body after eating. (An upright posture helps prevent reflux -- gravity is your friend!).
- The size of the meal. (Smaller meals reduce reflux.)
- The nature of the foods you consume. (Certain substances may irritate the esophagus or weaken the LES, such as fatty or spicy foods.)
What are the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease?
Symptoms usually related to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease include:
- Heartburn (a burning sensation in the center of the chest)
- Regurgitating food
- Difficulty swallowing
Other symptoms that may be occur are listed below, although they are not always related to GERD:
- Burping
- Nausea and vomiting
- Change in voice or hoarse voice
- Sore throat
- Coughing or wheezing
- Asthma
- Chest Pain
- Upper abdominal pain
What are the risk factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease?
The risk factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease include:
- Hiatal hernia (a condition in which the upper portion of the stomach protrudes upward into the chest, through a natural opening in the diaphragm)
- Pregnancy
- Scleroderma (a rare, progressive disease that leads to hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues)
- Obesity
- Smoking
