Reflux disease symptoms can range from very mild and occasional to severe and continual. Whenever you experience symptoms on the high-end spectrum, it’s a signal that you should seek medical help to control the disease.

The first sign that you have GERD is that you experience heartburn more than just once in awhile. This is a burning sensation right in your chest – but it might seem to crawl up into your throat or neck area.

Another symptom you may suffer is having difficulty swallowing. It might be painful, or it might just feel like there’s an obstacle in your throat preventing a smooth swallow from occurring.

As the reflux worsens, you might go from mild discomfort to true and severe pain in the throat. A simple throat lozenge won’t sooth this sore throat, though. The only remedy will be to eliminate the thing causing it – GERD.

One common symptom that happens when you’re suffering from reflux disease is the feeling of food coming back up from your stomach. It’s called regurgitation, and the food you’ve eaten, along with stomach acid and occasionally bile, will rise back up through the esophagus and into your mouth, causing a sour taste. Continue reading →

When you’ve been properly diagnosed and told that you have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), you’ll want to seek out your various treatment options – and those will include medications (over the counter and prescribed), lifestyle changes, alternative treatments and even surgery.

The first thing you’ll want to do is see what kinds of over the counter remedies help you with your symptoms. Everyone is different. For you, a simple antacid like Tums might work – while for others, it’s ineffective or not long lasting.

You may need to see your doctor for a stronger prescription-strength remedy such as an H-2 receptor blocker. The drawback is that they take longer to work, but the positive side of it is they work longer, so the relief isn’t short-lived. There are also proton pump inhibitors that downplay acid production so your body can recover from the irritation.

Some medicines work to build the muscle back into your LES (lower esophageal sphincter). They’re called prokinetic agents. They work to strengthen the seal between the esophagus and stomach, and help your body process food faster. Continue reading →