Signs and symptoms
... The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn — that burning sensation in your chest, which sometimes spreads to the throat, along with a sour taste in your mouth. Other signs and symptoms of GER...

Causes
... When you swallow, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) — a circular band of muscle around the bottom part of your esophagus — relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow down into your stomac...

Risk factors
... Conditions that cause difficulty with digestion can increase the risk of heartburn or GERD. These include: Obesity. Excess weight puts extra pressure on your stomach and diaphragm — the large mu...

When to seek medical advice
... Most problems with heartburn are fleeting and mild. But if you have severe or frequent discomfort, you may be developing complications that need more intensive medical treatment and prescription medic...

Screening and diagnosis
... Usually a description of your symptoms will be all your doctor needs to establish the diagnosis of heartburn. However, if your symptoms are particularly severe or don''t respond to treatment, you may ...

Esophageal Manometry Testing
... A common test for patients with hiatal hernia What is esophageal manometry? Esophageal manometry is a test used to measure the function of the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve that prevents refl...

The Upper Endoscopy Procedure
... What is upper endoscopy? Upper endoscopy is a routine, outpatient procedure in which the inside of the upper digestive system is examined. The procedure is commonly used to help identify the causes of...

24-Hour Esophageal pH Test
... What is an esophageal pH test? An esophageal pH test measures and records the pH in your esophagus to determine if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The test can also be done to determi...

The 48-Hour Bravo Esophageal pH Test
... What is an esophageal pH test? An esophageal pH test measures and records the pH in your esophagus to determine if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The test can also be done to determi...