The disease is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. It affects about 1 out of 5 Americans, according to the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD).
The most prevalent symptom of the disease is heartburn. Others, according to the IFFGD, include a hoarse voice, having trouble or feeling pain when swallowing, the feeling of food stuck in the esophagus, chronic coughing and a chronic sore throat.
While heartburn and coughing might seem like they constitute a relatively benign disease, GERD “shouldn’t be ignored, as it can be serious if left untreated as it is associated with a risk of cancer,” Dr. John Pandolfino, Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Northwestern University’s Department of Medicine, told Newsweek in an email.
GERD is a condition in which the food in a person’s stomach reenters the esophagus, or “food tube”—causing what is known as “reflux.” Reflux has the potential to arouse symptoms that could cause damage to the esophagus.
“Once heartburn or GER [gastroesophageal reflux]-related symptoms are more frequent than twice a week—people are considered to have GERD,” Pandolfino told Newsweek. “Additionally, when they have complications of reflux, like erosions, ulcers, strictures or potentially premalignant changes- they are also considered to have GERD.”
GERD should never be ignored, Pandolfino told Newsweek, because it is associated with a higher risk of cancer if left untreated and can lead to lung injury. It can also lead to food becoming stuck in the esophagus, which could land a person in the emergency room.
However, “[t]he risk of cancer is low and cancer can be avoided if they see their doctor early enough,” he wrote.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, Pandolfino advised that if a person does not experience heartburn or reflux when they eat certain foods, then they do not need to avoid those foods to avoid GERD. But he also wrote that people should avoid foods that they know cause them to reflux.
He said that it is wise to be mindful of fatty foods, because overindulgence in them can cause acid reflux by weakening the sphincter muscle—which holds foods in the stomach until it is mixed with the acids that break it down. Chocolates and mints can also have this effect, Pandolfino wrote, albeit to a lesser extent.
Further, he added, certain spicy foods and acidic foods can irritate the lining of the esophagus and cause discomfort.
The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates the regions of the world where people are most likely to experience heartburn.
The disease has no single known cause. Ultimately, however, it can result from acid reflux and hiatal hernia. According to Healthline, acid reflux is simply when food in the stomach reenters the esophagus. Hiatal hernia, on the other hand, occurs when part of the stomach wedges through the diaphragm, the skeletal muscle that separates the abdomen and the chest, according to Mayo Clinic.
There is treatment available for people with GERD, including medication and surgery. The IFFGD also noted on its website that the most common symptom of the disease, heartburn, can be ameliorated through lifestyle changes such as eating healthier and maintaining a healthy weight.
Pandolfino told Newsweek that a person should speak with their doctor if they feel symptoms of GERD, because the disease can “progress” if it goes untreated, and can ultimately lead to “erosions and ulcers” in the esophaguses of two-thirds of patients. It can even cause some to develop scarring that will “obstruct the passage of food” into their stomach.
So, if you happen a bit of a burn in your chest after that second slice of pumpkin pie this year—and you feel it again multiple times that day—it might be prudent to talk to your doctor about GERD.
This article was updated to include an infographic.
