Heartburn, GERD, and Acid Reflux: What You Need to Know

It’s pretty common to arm yourself with antiacids before a high-fat meal to avoid that unwanted feeling of heartburn. But at what point does heartburn turn into acid reflux or GERD? And what’s the difference between the three?

Heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD may sound like three separate health conditions, but they are actually interconnected. Here’s a simple way of looking at them: Heartburn is the main symptom of both acid reflux and GERD.

In other words, acid reflux and GERD are similar health conditions that can cause the unpleasant feeling of heartburn. The difference is that GERD is a much more serious version of acid reflux.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about heartburn, GERD, and acid reflux in Orange County, CA.

Understanding the Basics: Acid Reflux vs. GERD

Acid reflux (also called gastroesophageal reflux or GER) occurs when the valve between the stomach and the esophagus stays open, allowing the stomach’s contents to flow back into the esophagus instead of moving into the small intestine. This often happens after consuming certain foods or drinks, like alcohol, spicy food, caffeine, high-fat food, and carbonated beverages. Being overweight can also cause acid reflux, as can lying down immediately after eating.

No matter the cause, the resulting backflow causes an unpleasant feeling of burning in the chest and often an acid or sour taste in the back of the throat. This feeling is called heartburn since it often feels like the heart is burning. However, it’s not the heart but the acidic backflow in the esophagus.

Most people experience acid reflux at some point in their lives, although people usually identify it by the symptom—heartburn. In fact, the NIH reports that over 60 million people in the U.S. report having heartburn at least once a month. Now the question is if those people are simply experiencing acid reflux, which is not a regular occurrence, or the chronic form called GERD.

GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease. As the name shows, it’s essentially the same as acid reflux—just chronic. However, while a few antiacids can often help calm acid reflux, GERD can cause more serious symptoms and often requires medical treatment.

The most tell-tale sign of GERD is consistently experiencing heartburn at least three times a week. Other GERD symptoms that may accompany heartburn include difficulty swallowing, nausea, and vomiting. Patients sometimes don’t experience heartburn at all but a dry cough and chest pain.

Since GERD comes with persistent symptoms, specialists may recommend lifestyle changes (i.e., diet adjustment, weight loss, or stopping smoking) or surgery to fix the valve between the stomach and esophagus. The one exception to this pregnancy. About 90% of women get GERD by the third trimester. In these cases, specialists may only recommend a diet change or antiacids for the rest of the pregnancy since such consistent heartburn is normal, albeit uncomfortable.

Medical Diagnosis and Tests

GER and GERD diagnosis is usually straightforward. Patients simply schedule a consultation and explain their symptoms and medical history. Based on that information alone, the specialist can usually pinpoint whether the patient has acid reflux or GERD.

However, if patients’ symptoms indicate something more complex, they may need to visit a gastroenterologist for testing to look for any GERD complications or underlying conditions like a hiatal hernia. Common tests include the following:

• Upper Endoscopy: A gastroenterologist inserts a tube into the throat to observe the stomach and esophagus and identity any inflammation or underlying complications.
• Transnasal Esophagoscopy: Similar to an endoscopy, a transnasal esophagoscopy involves a tube down the throat. However, the specialist inserts it through the nose and looks primarily at the esophagus—not the stomach.
• X-Ray of the Digestive System: Before the x-ray, the patient drinks a chalky liquid or takes a barium pill that helps specialists see the digestive tract lining and identify any problems with swallowing.
• pH Probe Test: This involves monitoring the stomach acid that rises into the esophagus.
• Esophageal Manometry: Specialists use this test to help people struggling to swallow. It measures muscle contractions and force when swallowing.

Treatment and Management

For simple cases of GERD and acid reflux in Orange County, CA, lifestyle changes may be enough to manage the symptoms. A specialist may recommend a strict GERD diet to help the patient reduce acidic, caffeinated, and high-fat foods. Or they might encourage a new exercise routine to help patients manage their weight and reduce the risk of acid reflux and GERD.

Stress can also contribute to symptoms like heartburn. So patients experiencing high stress levels should implement relaxation techniques or seek counseling.

A common approach to acid reflux and GERD is simply treating the symptom: heartburn. Many people just take over-the-counter antacids like Tums. However, consistently taking antiacids (or taking too many) for chronic symptoms can cause unwanted side effects like abdominal pain, nausea, and headaches. And these certainly don’t help ongoing heartburn symptoms.

If antacids no longer prove effective, patients may seek prescription medication to help them manage their symptoms while healing esophageal irritation. In fairly straightforward cases of GERD, prescription drugs can offer much-needed relief. Patients should discuss this option with a gastroenterologist to see if it’s viable for their specific situation.

Sometimes lifestyle changes and medication don’t work, and patients need a long-term treatment option. This process may begin with gastrointestinal tests like an endoscopy to discover the severity of the situation. Depending on what they find, a gastroenterologist may recommend anti-reflux surgery and it doesn’t have to be a traditional open surgery. Experts like Dr. Khosravi can perform a laparoscopy or a newer option called the intraluminal endoscopic procedure.

Complications if Untreated

Heartburn may seem like a common enough experience, but the constant presence of acid in the esophagus can cause serious health issues. Routine acid reflux becomes GERD, and GERD can turn into diverse complications like the following:

• Esophagitis: This condition results from esophageal inflammation (often a side effect of GERD). It presents damage to the esophagus tissues and can cause scarring, tearing, and narrowing of the esophagus.
• Barrett’s Esophagus: Similar to esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus involves damage to the esophagus from untreated GERD. Patients often experience damage in the lining, which can turn into cancer if left untreated.
• Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Esophagitis can cause not only damage in the esophagus but also bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Peptic Strictures: Peptic strictures refer to the narrowing of digestive tracts, specifically the esophagus. This usually results from long-term GERD and scarring, eventually causing difficulty swallowing. 

Prevention Strategies

The easiest way to prevent GERD, heartburn, and acid reflux in Orange County, CA, is to make lifestyle changes. Patients should consider stopping smoking and maintaining a healthy weight to help limit their heartburn risk. They should also cut back on spicy, high-fat, acidic, and caffeinated food. It doesn’t mean they must eliminate those things but just ensure a healthy balance. Another simple prevention is elevating their head 6-8 inches at night to help prevent acidic backflow.

While making healthy lifestyle choices, patients should consider an exercise regime. While working out can certainly help with weight management and even alleviate some GERD symptoms, some exercises can actually worsen symptoms. Patients at risk for acid reflux or GERD should focus on low-impact exercises like swimming, walking, and jogging rather than high-intensity activities.

Stress management can also be an effective prevention strategy. Patients can implement breathing or relaxation strategies, practice yoga, or seek counseling.

Conclusion

Contrary to popular belief, heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD are not the same thing. And while heartburn is fairly common, the underlying causes (acid reflux and GERD) can turn into something quite serious if left untreated.

If you regularly experience heartburn, reach out to a heartburn specialist as soon as possible to ensure there are no underlying conditions and discuss your treatment options.

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