GERD symptoms can occur at any time. However, they usually occur after overeating, or lying down after a big meal. Symptoms may last for a few minutes or a few hours.

Heartburn

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The most common symptoms of GERD include:

• Heartburn—a burning feeling that starts in the lower chest and may move up the throat
• Frequent, persistent, recurrent, or chronic indigestion. Symptoms of indigestion include:
  • Upper abdominal pain or discomfort following a meal
  • Burping, bloating, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting
• Regurgitation of stomach contents into the back of the mouth or throat
• Sour or bitter taste in the back of mouth or throat

Other symptoms of GERD may include:

• Sore throat
• Bad breath
• Hoarseness
• Chronic cough
• Choking
• Wheezing or trouble breathing
• Insomnia
• Feeling of a lump in the throat
• Difficulty or painful swallowing
• Chest pain Note: GERD can feel like the pain associated with a heart attack. Do not assume that chest pain is GERD or indigestion. If you have chest pains or other symptoms of a possible heart attack, call for medical help immediately for emergency medical care.
• Recurrent vomiting or failure to thrive in infants

Long-term complications of GERD may include:

• Esophagitis—inflammation of the esophagus
• Bleeding and ulcers in the esophagus
• Dental problems, which may occur because of the effect of stomach acid on tooth enamel
• Chronic laryngitis
• Asthma attacks and/or pneumonia—during sleep acid refluxes from the stomach into the throat, then drains into the lungs, causing irritation
• Barrett’s esophagus—a precancerous condition that can lead to esophageal cancer
• Esophageal cancer—may develop in patients who have Barrett’s esophagus