Acid Reflux Symptoms

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) often has two major symptoms which are easily diagnosed by any competent medical professional. The major culprits are heartburn and acid flowing back into the mouth or throat.

Heartburn usually has a warm, burning sensation coming up from the stomach and settling around the chest area.

Acid reflux symptoms often show up after a large meal and are sometimes exaggerated if lying down although a change of diet can help.

For instance, try eating smaller meals perhaps more often and, if you are a smoker there's no option but to go on a specific acid reflux diet.

Acid, reversing into the tube is the cause of acid reflux - the esophagus - going to the stomach from the throat. Lots of over the counter medicines may give some temporary relief and there are also some effective natural remedies.

Nevertheless, some isolated instances may need surgery to cure the condition. In any case repetitive attacks may well weaken the lining of the esophagus causing additional problems.

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)is endemic in most of the old world countries and is often the cause of indigestion and heartburn. In fact, some studies go so far as to suggest that one fifth of the adult population suffer acid reflux about once or twice a week.

Usually gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is diagnosed quite quickly, easily and painlessly by your normal doctor although occasionally the doctor may require a confirmatory test such as an endoscopy. Effectively this means passing a tiny video camera down your throat and having a look around.

Often gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)will be picked up by your doctor when he asks about any acid reflux symptoms. Additional testing is rarely needed although there are a few tests that may confirm GERD.

One such is an endoscopy where the inside of your body is directly examined using a device known as an endoscope. An endoscope is a long, slim flexible tube attached to a video camera at the end, so that images of the inside of your body can be seen on a computer screen.

If you are comfortable with this procedure it is not necessary to give you any drugs. Many people are sensitive when things are put into their mouth and, if you are troubled in this way, you may be prescribed a seditive. Sometimes an endoscopy test will show some problems associated with the wall of the stomach, a hiatus hernia or very occasionally cancer of the stomach.

Alternatively an endoscopy will draw a blank and, in fact, up to around 25% of the time there will be no evidence of any significant problem in spite of the usual symptoms. This condition is called ENRD or technically endoscopy-negative reflux disease.

Therefore, if you have what, after all, are well-documented symptoms like a bitter taste in the mouth or a burning sensation around the chest, you should make an appointment with your medico ASAP.