GERD is one of the most common conditions diagnosed in the United States. It is estimated that 20-50 million people in the US experience GERD and use medications to treat the symptoms. GERD results from acid in the stomach refluxing into the esophagus and the posterior throat at times. There are many reasons that people experience GERD, including dietary indiscretion, overeating, eating too late at night then laying down, loose/dysfunctional lower esophageal sphincter, or presence of hiatal hernia. GERD is commonly linked to obesity. Common symptoms of GERD include chest pain, regurgitation, nausea, bloating, burning in the chest, and a sour taste in the back of the throat/mouth (brash). Despite treatment, some patients who chronically suffer from GERD can develop problems with the esophagus such as Barrett’s esophagus (a precursor to esophageal cancer), esophageal dysmotility leading to dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), or esophageal stricture. Hiatal hernia is when a portion of the stomach slides back and forth through the natural defect in the diaphragm. This anatomic abnormality potentiates acid reflux through complex mechanisms.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)