{"id":1515,"date":"2022-11-28T17:23:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-28T17:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikhamhealthcare.com\/provider-resources\/?p=1515"},"modified":"2026-03-12T18:18:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T18:18:43","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-about-acid-reflux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bikhamhealthcare.com\/provider-resources\/what-you-need-to-know-about-acid-reflux\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need to Know About Acid Reflux"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Acid reflux<\/a> is a condition that can make even your favorite food your worst dietary enemy. Almost everyone is prone to experiencing a little indigestion or heartburn from time to time, but about 20% of adults in the United States have a disease called gastroesophageal reflux disease<\/a> that causes them to experience heartburn on a regular basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s an uncomfortable condition and one that can potentially damage the lower esophagus. Thankfully, the symptoms of acid reflux can typically be mitigated with a combination of dietary precautions and medications. If you are one of the 20% of Americans who suffer from acid reflux, here is everything that you need to know about the condition, including what causes it, its symptoms and long-term consequences, and how it is treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Acid Reflux?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The stomach contains powerful acids intended to help digest food. Sometimes, though, these stomach acids don’t stay in the stomach. Acid reflux occurs when stomach acids flow out of the stomach and back into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest known as heartburn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people experience acid reflux occasionally. When acid reflux occurs repeatedly, though, it is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What’s the Difference Between Acid Reflux and Heartburn?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Though heartburn and acid reflux are terms that are often used interchangeably, there is a key distinction between the two terms. Heartburn is the term used to describe the burning sensation that acid reflux causes, while acid reflux is the term used to describe what happens when stomach acids backflow into the esophagus. Gastroesophageal reflux disease, meanwhile, is the condition that those who experience acid reflux on a regular basis are diagnosed with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms and Long-Term Effects of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The burning sensation known as heartburn is the most common and obvious symptom of acid reflux, and heartburn due to acid reflux typically occurs following a meal and\/or during the nighttime hours when you are lying down to sleep. Along with heartburn, other common symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n