After a big meal, or lying down too soon after eating, you may feel acid rise into your throat. That's gastroesophageal reflux (GER). It happens when the muscle at the lower end of the esophagus — the tube carrying food from mouth to stomach — doesn't close properly, letting stomach contents back up and irritate it.
Occasional reflux is common. But reflux two or more times a week, or reflux that damages the lining of the esophagus, may be gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — a long-lasting condition that causes discomfort and, over time, other health problems. Anyone can have it, infants and children included.
Causes and risk
GERD can happen when the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus becomes weak or relaxes at the wrong time. You're more likely to have it if you:
- are overweight or have obesity;
- are pregnant;
- smoke, or are around secondhand smoke;
- have a hiatal hernia — part of the stomach pushing up into the chest.
Certain foods, drinks and medicines can make it worse.
Symptoms
The most common is heartburn, a burning feeling in the chest or throat — though you can have GERD without it. Others:
- a taste of acid or food at the back of the mouth
- a dry cough or hoarse voice
- asthma-like symptoms
- trouble swallowing
Get help right away for chest pain with shortness of breath, or pain in the jaw or arm — these can be signs of a heart problem.
Diagnosis
Your provider will ask about symptoms and medical history, and may suggest:
| Test | What it does |
|---|---|
| Upper GI endoscopy | a tiny camera looks at the lining of the esophagus and stomach |
| Biopsy | checks a small tissue sample |
| X-ray | pictures of the upper digestive system |
| Esophageal pH test | measures how often acid backs up into the esophagus, and for how long |
| Esophageal manometry | checks how well the esophagus moves food when you swallow |
| Transnasal esophagoscopy | a thin tube with a camera looks for damage to the esophagus |
Treatment
Most people manage GERD with lifestyle changes and medicine; surgery is rarely needed.
Lifestyle:
- eat smaller meals, and don't lie down for 2–3 hours after eating;
- avoid trigger foods — such as spicy food, chocolate, caffeine or fatty foods — and alcohol;
- lose weight if needed;
- raise the head of your bed, or sleep on your left side;
- wear loose-fitting clothes;
- quit smoking.
Medicine: over-the-counter options such as antacids, or prescription medicines.
If it isn't treated
GERD can inflame and scar the esophagus or change its lining (Barrett's esophagus), worsen asthma, and cause a long-term cough or hoarseness.
Sources
Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "GERD," National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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