What Are Symptoms of GERD? 

Gastroesophageal reflux disease — more commonly referred to as GERD — can cause painful digestive symptoms. 

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic acid reflux condition where contents from your stomach frequently rise into your esophagus, causing painful symptoms like heartburn. It’s a relatively common disorder, affecting around 20% of people in Western countries like the United States.  

“GERD is incredibly common,” says Anisa Shaker, MD, a gastroenterologist with the USC Digestive Health Institute, part of Keck Medicine of USC. “If you are using over-the-counter antacids chronically (more than a few times a month), then you should get evaluated for GERD so that your physician can phenotype your disease and provide you with appropriate treatment.” 

Depending on which type of GERD you have, your symptoms can vary. That’s why Dr. Shaker says it’s important to see a physician for diagnostic testing if you experience any of the following symptoms several times a week.  

Heartburn or a burning sensation in your chest 

The most common or classic symptom of GERD is heartburn, usually after eating. It can also feel like a pain in your chest. 

Regurgitation 

“Regurgitation is a kind of passive movement of stomach contents into the esophagus, and sometimes as far up into the throat,” Dr. Shaker says. “Regurgitation can sometimes interfere with sleep. If you are lying down and stuff is coming up your throat throughout the night, it’s very bothersome and can wake you up multiple times throughout your sleep. This symptom can really affect your quality of life.” 

If you eat late at night and go to bed with a full stomach and then you lie down flat, that can make the problem worse. This is why lifestyle modifications of sleeping propped up with pillows can sometimes be recommended for people with GERD, Dr. Shaker says.  

Regurgitation can also sometimes be a “silent symptom” of GERD, Dr. Shaker adds, and this happens when you have regurgitation happening, but the person is not aware of it and does not feel it at all.  

Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) 

While this is a less common symptom of GERD, it is the most alarming, Dr. Shaker says. “Anytime you have difficulty swallowing or pain with swallowing, that is what we would consider an alarm symptom that needs immediate evaluation from a physician,” she says. It might indicate that there is a degree of damage to the esophagus, such as ulcerations, scarring or cancer in severe cases. “So that’s probably the most dangerous symptom within the spectrum of GERD,” Dr. Shaker says.  

Coughing or hoarseness 

“There’s also what are called extra-esophageal symptoms, where someone with GERD experiences coughing or a hoarseness of the voice but not the classic symptoms of heartburn or regurgitation,” Dr. Shaker says.  

If you experience any of the above symptoms more than a few times each month, you should ask your doctor to be tested for GERD, Dr. Shaker says. “GERD is a very heterogenous disease, meaning it looks different in most people,” she adds. “This is why it’s important to get tested so that we can phenotype your disease and see if your esophagus has damage and needs a more advanced therapy than lifestyle modifications.” 

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