Acid Reflux

Maybe you know the feeling: a bitter taste in the back of your mouth and a burning sensation in your chest. The phenomenon has several names—heartburn, acid reflux, acid indigestion, gastroesophageal reflux, GER. Call it what you will, you know it when you have it. And it’s no picnic.

When you have acid reflux, your lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that works as a valve to keep stomach contents down, doesn’t work properly. Instead, stomach contents and acids wash back up, or reflux, into your esophagus and sometimes all the way into the back of your throat. Ouch. When this acid reflux occurs more than twice a week, doctors describe it as a medical condition called GERD, i.e. gastroesophageal reflux disease. People of all ages can have GERD; heartburn is one symptom, but sometimes GERD produces a dry cough, asthma symptoms, or trouble swallowing–with or without the sensation of heartburn.

If your heartburn is more than an occasional nuisance, tell your doctor. Left untreated, chronic GERD can cause serious complications. Inflammation of the esophagus caused by the backed-up stomach acid can cause bleeding or ulcers—also called esophagitis. Scars from this damage can narrow the esophagus, making swallowing difficult. Some people develop Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in which cells in the esophageal lining take on an abnormal shape and color. Over time, the cells can lead to esophageal cancer, which is often fatal.