What is Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease?
“Heartburn” is the painful, burning sensation that is typically felt in the chest (but may radiate up to the neck, throat or jaw) and has nothing to do with the heart but is caused by reflux of acid up the oesophagus. Other words used to express this sensation are indigestion or dyspepsia and essentially mean the same thing but may also be used to describe pain in the top part of the abdomen. Reflux just means flow of stuff going the wrong way and is usually applied to acidic stomach contents flowing up the oesophagus – these contents are usually a mixture of food, stomach acid and enzymes. Although this does occur occasionally in everybody if it happens a lot then this is abnormal and can lead to acid burns to the lining of the oesophagus and symptoms of heartburn. Sometimes it can cause a chronic cough or a hoarse voice, regurgitation or vomiting or difficulty in swallowing. Doctors have termed abnormal reflux of acid, ‘Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease or GORD (in America this is te
