14 Signs and Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
That burning feeling in your chest might be more than just heartburn. If you experience this symptom more than twice a week, you may have a chronic condition known as GERD.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when stomach acid frequently flows back up into your esophagus, causing persistent discomfort and potential damage to the digestive lining. Many people ignore these symptoms, thinking they’re normal or temporary.
Identifying the symptoms is crucial for proper diagnosis and treatment, as untreated GERD can lead to serious complications, including damage to the esophagus, chronic respiratory issues, and an increased risk of serious complications.
Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
GERD can cause many different symptoms that affect your digestive system. The symptoms can be mild and manageable or severe enough to disrupt daily activities.
Frequent Heartburn
Frequent heartburn, or acid indigestion, is the hallmark symptom of GERD. It creates a burning feeling in your chest, typically behind the breastbone, and may persist from a few minutes to several hours.
This happens when stomach acid escapes into the esophagus because the muscle responsible for keeping acid in the stomach (lower esophageal sphincter) becomes weak or relaxes improperly.
You notice heartburn shortly after eating, especially if you’ve consumed a lot of fluids, had a large meal, or consumed trigger foods such as spicy dishes, fatty foods, citrus fruits, caffeine, and alcohol.
Lying down, bending over, or tight clothing can worsen the sensation. Many people experience the most discomfort at night, disrupting sleep. Heartburn does not involve stomach contents flowing back into the throat or mouth.
Acid or Food Ejection
Regurgitation occurs when stomach contents rise into the throat, often resulting in a sour or bitter taste in the mouth.
Some people experience a sudden rush of liquid or food moving upward, particularly after eating or lying down. Mild regurgitation may occur occasionally, but frequent episodes can lead to throat irritation, which manifests as other symptoms listed in this article.
You may also wake up with a sore throat, a mouth full of vomit, or feel the need to clear your throat repeatedly.
Difficulty Swallowing
Trouble swallowing (Dysphagia) can be a symptom of GERD; it often feels like food is stuck in your throat or chest.
It occurs when repeated exposure to stomach acid damages the esophagus, making it harder for food to pass smoothly and increasing your discomfort.
You may eat more slowly, drink extra water to help meals go down, or avoid hard-to-swallow and dry foods like bread or sticky edibles. Some feel mild discomfort, while others experience pain, tightness, or pressure when swallowing.
Long-Term Cough
A recurrent cough can be a sign of GERD, even without noticeable heartburn or the presence of a respiratory infection.
It often results from stomach acid reaching the throat and airways, inflicting direct irritation or triggering a reflex that stimulates coughing.
Unlike respiratory infections, GERD causes a dry (non-productive) cough that often worsens at night, especially when lying flat. You may also have frequent throat clearing, causing further irritation and increasing your urge to cough.
Irritated Throat Clearing
When stomach acid irritates the throat lining, the body produces excess mucus to protect against irritation and damage. This buildup can create a sensation of raw, irritated, or constantly coated throat.
You may wake up with a sore throat that improves during the day but returns the next morning as you experience reflux during sleep.
The irritation can make swallowing or speaking uncomfortable, often leading to frequent throat clearing, which may become habitual and further aggravate the condition.
Voice Changes
This symptom is common in laryngopharyngeal reflux, a form of acid reflux that irritates the throat and vocal cords without causing heartburn.
Prolonged acid exposure during sleep can cause the vocal cords to swell and make your voice sound raspy, weak, or strained in the morning.
You might notice your voice sounding harsh or fading in and out during conversations, making it difficult to speak loudly for extended periods.
Lump In The Throat
The uncomfortable feeling of something stuck in your throat, known as the Globus sensation, is another symptom that remains even when you’re not eating.
You may feel tightness or an obstruction that won’t disappear. The feeling can fluctuate throughout the day and often worsens during periods of stress or anxiety.
This occurs when acid reflux irritates and affects the nerves and muscles in your throat, creating a false sense of obstruction or constriction.
Chest Pain
GERD-related chest pain manifests as burning, sharp, or pressure-like discomfort. It usually occurs after eating large meals or trigger foods like fatty foods or mint.
This feeling may intensify when reclining or bending forward, as this adds pressure to the abdomen and can last minutes to hours. It may worsen at night as acid reflux irritates the esophagus.
Unlike heart-related pain, the chest pain in GERD does not spread to the arms, jaw, or back and lacks shortness of breath, dizziness, or sweating.
Bad Breath
GERD could be to blame if you experience constant bad breath (Halitosis) despite maintaining good oral hygiene or the absence of tooth decay.
Acid reflux brings stomach acids and food particles back into your throat and mouth, leaving a sour, bitter, or unpleasant smell that worsens overnight, especially if you sleep flat, as the chances of acid reflux increase.
Many people with GERD wake up with dry mouths, which reduce saliva and allow bacteria to grow, leading to stronger bad breath.
Excessive Burping
Experiencing frequent or excessive burping may be a sign of GERD. While occasional burping is normal, too much could mean stomach acid and gas are backing up into your esophagus, triggering the urge to burp.
Burping may worsen after eating, especially with carbonated drinks, fatty foods, or large meals. Some people feel as if the air is trapped in their stomach, leading to frequent swallowing and a cycle of burping that doesn’t always bring relief.
Atypical or Severe Symptoms
People with GERD may experience symptoms beyond typical heartburn and acid reflux, affecting other parts of the body. These signs are often misinterpreted as unrelated health issues, making them harder to associate with acid reflux.
Breathing and Asthma-Like Issues
If GERD affects your respiratory system, you may notice worsening asthma-like symptoms—even if you’ve never had asthma. This happens when stomach acid irritates the throat and airways, triggering inflammation and excess mucus production.
You might experience wheezing, which produces a high-pitched whistling sound when you breathe, especially when lying flat during sleep or after eating.
Shortness of breath can make it feel like you’re struggling to take a full breath as if your chest is tightening.
You might develop a dry, chronic cough or feel your throat is constantly irritated. In some cases, these breathing problems can resemble conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), making diagnosis complicated.
Nighttime Symptoms
Lying flat allows fluids and stomach contents to seep up and keeps acid in the esophagus longer, worsening symptoms and making sleep difficult.
You may wake up choking, gasping for air, or struggling to breathe as acid backs up into your throat, irritating the airways and causing discomfort. A lasting unpleasant or acidic taste in the mouth increases the discomfort.
Sudden chest pain, often sharp or burning, is a common nighttime symptom that causes abrupt waking. Persistent coughing or a feeling of vomiting may also occur and repeatedly disturb sleep.
Ear or Sinus Problems
When stomach contents reflux into the esophagus and reach the throat, they can irritate the eustachian tubes—passages linking the middle ear to the back of the nose.
This can lead to ear pain, a feeling of fullness, and recurring infections. Acid exposure can irritate your nasal passages, leading to persistent nasal congestion and sinus pressure, among other symptoms.
You may feel as though your sinuses are constantly inflamed, and if you already struggle with sinus issues, GERD could make them worse.
Nausea
You might not immediately associate nausea with GERD, but frequent queasiness—especially after eating or while lying down—can be a sign of acid reflux.
Some people experience mild discomfort, while others feel a persistent urge to vomit. This occurs when a weak or faulty lower esophageal sphincter allows stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus.
In some cases, GERD can also slow stomach emptying, leading to prolonged fullness and discomfort. Acidic, spicy, fatty, and other trigger foods may further trigger or worsen these symptoms.
