Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when stomach acid repeatedly flows back up into the esophagus, a tube-shaped organ connecting the mouth and stomach. This backwash, or reflux, can cause a burning sensation in the chest, often referred to as heartburn. Acid reflux is considered chronic when you’ve had it at least twice a week for several weeks.² Now it’s best to understand the symptoms you may experience with GERD, that way you will have a better understanding what to look out for, should you be hit with a bad case of chronic acid reflux and heartburn.

Here are some common GERD signs and symptoms you need to keep in mind:

1. Regurgitation or backwash

You might notice acid, food or liquids backwashing from your stomach into your throat after eating. This is also known as regurgitation. Usually this comes with a sour acid taste.² The feeling of food or liquid coming back up into the throat or mouth.

2. Difficulty swallowing

Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing. You may experience this if you have GERD, this can be a direct result of damage to your esophagus due to inflammation, known as esophagitis.³

3. Nausea

Acid overflow or backwash may make you feel queasy or make you lose your appetite. Even if you may have eaten a while ago, it may feel like there’s still more food to digest.²

4. Chronic cough or Sore Throat

You may begin to experience persistent cough or a sore throat, this is due to acid rising into your throat, which can feel like there’s a lump in your throat, or like it’s hard to swallow.

5. Asthma Symptoms

In some cases, GERD can trigger or worsen asthma symptoms. These could be chronic coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Since the acid particles get into your airways,² it can make them contract which causes these possible symptoms.

Once you have a clearer view of the symptoms you may be hit with, the next thing you need to be aware of are the kind of causes that can trigger GERD in the first place.

Occasional acid reflux is quite common, however, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), typically has certain GERD causes that can lead to serious complications. This affects people of all ages. Due to this, here are several GERD causes to look out for:

1. Obesity or people who are overweight

Carrying extra weight puts added pressure on your stomach.⁵ This can lead to more stomach acid traveling up into your esophagus which causes heartburn, belching, chest pain, and other uncomfortable GERD symptoms.

2. Pregnant women

GERD commonly occurs in pregnant women, specifically around 40-85% of women during their pregnancy.⁶GERD by their third trimester.⁷ Heartburn is usually the main issue, but for some patients experiencing GERD during pregnancy can be so intense that it causes nausea and vomiting.

3. Smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke

Smoking can weaken the esophageal sphincter, a muscular valve that protects the esophagus by preventing stomach acids from flowing back. ⁸ This leads to the stomach acid to flow backward into the esophagus which increases the risk of GERD.

4. Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) dysfunction

The Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a circular muscle that acts like a valve preventing stomach contents from flowing back into the esophagus.⁴ In normal digestion, your LES opens to allow food into your stomach. Then, it closes to stop food and acidic stomach juices from flowing back into your esophagus.² When the LES doesn't function properly, it can trigger acid reflux. This allows the contents of the stomach to flow up into the esophagus.

5. Hiatal hernia

A hiatal hernia happens when the upper part of your stomach moves up into the chest through a small opening in your diaphragm (diaphragmatic hiatus).⁴ This lowers the pressure in the esophageal sphincter and increases the risk of GERD.

6. Lifestyle Habits

GERD may be caused by your daily habits, such as poor lifestyle choices like smoking, an unhealthy diet that consists of too much chocolate and fried foods, caffeine, and alcohol.⁴ These lifestyle habits cause the stomach to produce more acid than usual.

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Learning about the causes of GERD helps in getting a deeper understanding of how our body works and knowing the possible reasons as to why GERD can be triggered in the first place. Due to this, it’s highly important to protect our bodies by finding tips that can lead to prevention from GERD.

Mild cases of acid reflux can often be prevented by adopting a few lifestyle changes^9.Although most people experience acid reflux and heartburn from time to time, learning about how you can prevent it with good lifestyle changes and medication may help you find relief.

Dietary Changes

1. Avoid certain types of food that may trigger your symptoms of GERD badly. Common dishes include spicy, fatty, and acidic foods. Make sure to also control both your caffeine and alcohol intake.
2. Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of large meals.
3. Avoid eating late at night. If you tend to lie down too soon after meals, this might not create enough pressure for the Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to function properly.⁸

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Lifestyle Changes

1. Wear loose-fitting clothing. You should feel free to wear what you want, although tight clothing may worsen GERD symptoms. This is especially the case with tight bottoms and belts that can both place unnecessary pressure on the abdomen.¹⁰
2. Manage your weight. Excess weight, especially in the abdominal area puts more pressure on the stomach. As a result, you’re at an increased risk of stomach acids working back into the esophagus and causing heartburn.¹⁰ Watch your weight with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
3. Quit smoking. As mentioned with one of the GERD causes, when the muscles of the LES are weakened from smoking, you may experience more frequent heartburn episodes.¹⁰ Avoid smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke. This lowers risks of GERD or any possible unhealthy conditions that can weaken your body in the long run.
4. Lower stress levels. GERD can already cause so much stress, it’s best to prevent it by trying relaxation techniques. Since esophageal muscles play a large role in keeping stomach acids down where they belong, it may help to learn techniques that can relax both your body and mind.¹⁰ Activities such as yoga, breathing techniques, and meditation may lessen your stress levels.
5. Develop a good bedtime routine. Try not to snack or dine at least 2 to 3 hours before you go to sleep.¹¹ When you choose to eat earlier, this prevents any chance of GERD symptoms from erupting versus when you lie down after snacking or eating late at night. You can also prop up the head of your bed by 6 to 10 inches.¹¹ You can keep heartburn and other GERD symptoms away if you put your head and chest above your stomach. It helps gravity keep what's in your stomach away from your esophagus.

Following these preventive tips can lessen any chances of you experiencing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) from hitting in the first place. Although if you are already experiencing GERD symptoms similar to the ones stated above, then it’s best to be prepared with GERD treatments and home remedies that may alleviate the discomfort you may be experiencing.