GERD Signs & Symptoms (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)

Conditions & Diseases: Digestive System

GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)

See Also:
GERD: Introduction
GERD: Causes & Risk Factors
GERD: Signs & Symptoms
GERD: Medical Tests & Diagnosis Methods
GERD: Treatment & Prevention Options

Signs & Symptoms

General symptoms of GERD are heartburn, regurgitation and nausea.

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the middle of the chest caused due to nerve stimulation resulting from acid reflux into the esophagus.

Regurgitation is caused due to appearance of small quantities of liquid in the mouth resulting from reflux of liquid and/or food after passing through upper esophageal sphincter (UES) at the upper end of esophagus. The upper esophageal sphincter (UES) is a circular ring of muscles similar in action to LES (2).

Excessive salivation occurring due to acid reflux is called water brash and is one of the symptoms of GERD.

Difficulty in swallowing
Chest pain due to heart burn
Nausea in the morning
Some ear, nose and throat problems
Lung and breathing problems such as coughing, wheezing, pneumonia, permanent widening and damage to air passages in lungs called bronchiectasis and chronic asthma (8).
Trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
Blood in the stool
Hoarseness (laryngitis)
Frequent belching
Sleep apnea leading to restlessness, morning headaches and after drowsiness
Anemic (iron deficiency in blood) caused due to blood loss from ulcers in esophagus (9).

See Also:
GERD: Introduction
GERD: Causes & Risk Factors
GERD: Signs & Symptoms
GERD: Medical Tests & Diagnosis Methods
GERD: Treatment & Prevention Options

Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com

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Page Last Modified:
09/10/2010