Health Topic

GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition that can cause discomfort and lead to other health problems. Its most common symptom is heartburn.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Also called: Gastroesophageal reflux disease

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About GERD

Sometimes, after eating a large meal or lying down too soon after eating, you might feel acid coming up into your throat. This is called gastroesophageal reflux (GER). It happens when the muscle at the end of your esophagus (the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach) doesn't close properly. Stomach contents can then move back up and irritate the esophagus.

Having reflux occasionally is common. But if you have symptoms two or more times a week or if they cause damage to the lining of your esophagus, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is a chronic (long-lasting) condition that can cause discomfort and, over time, lead to other health problems.

Anyone can have GERD, including infants and children.

GERD can happen when the muscle at the bottom of your esophagus becomes weak or relaxes at the wrong time. You are more likely to have GERD if you:

  • Are overweight or have obesity
  • Are pregnant
  • Smoke or are around secondhand smoke
  • Have a hiatal hernia (when part of the stomach pushes up into the chest)

Certain foods, drinks, or medicines can also make GERD worse.

The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn. This is a burning feeling in your chest or throat. You can also have GERD without having heartburn. Other symptoms may include:

  • Tasting acid or food in the back of your mouth
  • A dry cough or hoarse voice
  • Asthma-like symptoms
  • Trouble swallowing

Get medical help right away if you have chest pain with shortness of breath, or pain in your jaw or arm. These can be signs of a heart problem.

Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. They may recommend tests such as:

  • Upper GI endoscopy to look at the esophagus and stomach lining with a tiny camera.
  • Biopsy to check a small tissue sample.
  • X-Ray to take pictures of the upper digestive system.
  • Esophageal pH test to measure how often acid backs up the esophagus and how long the acid stays there.
  • Esophageal manometry to check how well your esophagus moves food when you swallow.
  • Transnasal esophagoscopy to look for damage to the esophagus by using a small tube with a camera.

Most people can manage GERD with lifestyle changes and medicine. In rare cases, surgery is needed.

Lifestyle changes can include:

  • Eating smaller meals and avoiding lying down for at least 2-3 hours after eating
  • Avoiding foods that trigger symptoms, such as spicy foods, chocolate, caffeine, or fatty foods
  • Losing weight if needed
  • Raising the head of your bed
  • Quitting smoking

Medicines can include:

  • Over-the-counter medicines, such as antacids
  • Prescription medicines

If not treated, GERD can cause problems like inflammation of the esophagus, scarring, or changes in the tissue lining (Barrett's esophagus). It can also worsen asthma or cause chronic (long-term) cough or hoarseness.

You may be able to improve symptoms of GERD by:

  • Avoiding alcohol and trigger foods
  • Eating smaller meals
  • Not eating close to bedtime
  • Wearing loose-fitting clothes
  • Sleeping on your left side or raising the head of your bed
  • Maintaining a healthy weight

It sits within Digestive System.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on GERD

1,354 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

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Symptoms

Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

Related Issues

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Gastroesophageal Reflux. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for GERD, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.