Quick Look
- Heartburn, commonly referred to as acidity, felt in the middle of the chest, specially post meals
- Regurgitation, i.e. appearance food contents in the mouth
- Nausea with or without vomiting
- Occasionally, pain Or discomfort in the abdomen with heaviness of head
- Excess production of mucus, mimicking Pharyngitis
Heartburn:
- This is the primary feature amongst symptoms of GERD.
- Reverse flow of acid into esophagus leads to heartburn, usually described as burning pain in the middle of the chest.
- It may also start high up in the abdomen.
- Heartburn occurs usually post meals. Sometimes, the pain can also mimic a heart attack, sparking panic.
Regurgitation:
- In most cases of GERD, back flow of the stomach contents remain in the lower part of the esophagus.
- Sometimes refluxed content may cross the upper esophageal sphincter (i.e. a muscular ring) and enter the mouth.
Nausea:
In certain cases, patients may develop nausea with or without vomiting along with other symptoms of GERD.
Difficulty in swallowing:
The acidic nature of regurgitated contents can cause damage to the delicate inner lining of esophagus causing difficulty in swallowing.
Lump Sensation in Throat:
This is one of the most disturbing symptoms of GERD. Repeated trauma of refluxed contents on the inner esophagus can induce a sensation of something being stuck in the throat, even if nothing is actually there.
