Lots of people are intimately familiar with acid reflux symptoms. This disease, also known as gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), can produce a variety of symptoms, such as: heartburn, regurgitation, and dyspepsia. Antacids can neutralize the acid from your stomach. In many cases, lifestyle changes combined with over-the-counter medications are all you need to control the symptoms of acid reflux disease.
Lifestyle changes may refer to: eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day, quit smoking, don’t eat at least two to three hours before lying down, and try to lose weight with exercise and diet changes. If lifestyle changes and medications don’t completely resolve your symptoms of acid reflux disease and the symptoms are severely interfering with your life, your doctor could recommend surgery. Usually, acid reflux symptoms cause no complications, but, in a few cases, continued esophageal damage may cause the esophagus to narrow. In some cases, cells in the lining of the esophagus develop an abnormal shape and color in response to the constant acid irritation, known as the Barrett’s esophagus, which can develop into cancer. This is a serious condition that requires urgent assessment and treatment.