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Overview
GERD stands for gastroesophogal reflux disease, and is usually referred to as acid reflux. People suffering from this problem can often limit their symptoms by taking medications and following doctor-recommended guidelines. Knowing the symptoms can help a sufferer identify a potential flare up and take action to minimize the symptoms right away.
Heartburn
Heartburn is the No. 1 symptom associated with GERD or acid reflux. This takes the form of a burning feeling located in the chest. At times, the burning feeling can also be felt in the throat. When it spreads to the throat, the patient may notice an odd or unusual taste in their mouth. The heartburn worsens after eating spicy foods or drinking caffeinated beverages, and intensifies if the patient lays down right after eating.
Chest Pain
Patients suffering from GERD often experience pain in their chest. This pain is often related to the heartburn in that it feels like a mild burning or tingling sensation in their chest. If they continue to eat foods and drink liquids not recommended by their doctor, the chest pain can worsen. It will also worsen when they're lying flat on their back and trying to sleep, which is why some choose to sleep on an elevated surface.
Trouble Swallowing
Dysphagia is a condition that occurs when the patient experiences difficulty or problems swallowing. This is an often-experienced symptom of GERD. It results when the chest pain and heartburn build up in the chest and the esophagus begins to swell. This can make it difficult for the person to swallow liquids, and in some cases make it difficult to swallow solid food. The patient may need to adhere to a liquid diet until the dysphagia clears.
Throat Problems
There are many symptoms of GERD that present themselves as problems with the throat or breathing. The esophagus can become swollen or feel raw as a result of the food backing up from the stomach. When this happens, the sufferer reports feeling a sore throat. This can lead to their voice sounding hoarse or scratchy when they speak. They may also begin coughing a lot and wheeze when they attempt to inhale deeply. Those with asthma see these symptoms more frequently.
Vomiting
In a few rare cases, GERD presents itself with vomiting or regurgitation. This symptom usually occurs when the individual leaves the condition untreated and in patients that haven't yet been treated for the condition. The stomach has problems processing the food and attempts to send it back up the esophagus. The individual may try to swallow the food back down and in some cases this works, but in other cases it causes the patient to vomit the food again.
