Symptoms

Reflux—GERD—Heartburn

The typical symptoms of reflux - GERD are, in addition to classic heartburn, acidic or bitter belching, increased gas, bloating, nausea and vomiting, bad breath or bad breath, sore throat and cough without any other cause or else also - especially if the disease has existed for a very long time - no more symptoms. The extent of the mucosal damage does not correlate with the extent of the symptoms, although the subjective perception decreases with the duration of the disease and with age.

There can also be a coupled or isolated extraesophageal manifestation. This means that the stomach acid or the bile salts not only damage the esophagus itself, but also alter the entire respiratory tract. Many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), such as asthmatics, etc., have the cause of the symptoms in an untreated or inadequately treated reflux disease - GERD. Reflux is the leading cause of non-allergic asthma. Some diseases from ENT (hoarseness, chronic sinus infections, otitis media without other causes, …) or from dentistry (gum inflammation, mouth and/or tongue inflammation, burning mouth and stinging of the mouth without other causes, …) can also originate in Have reflux.

With avoidance of foods that produce increased gastric acid, with lifestyle adjustments and / or with drugs that protect the mucous membrane or reduce/inhibit acid production in the stomach, a certain improvement in symptoms such as heartburn, acid regurgitation or bad breath can be achieved. The reflux itself, however, remains and only becomes more bearable because of the symptoms.