Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease
The symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux esophagitis are quite typical and include a range of symptoms. The most typical symptom is heartburn, primarily referring to a burning discomfort or pain felt behind the sternum or beneath the xiphoid process, usually occurring about an hour after eating, often accompanied by nausea. Another common symptom is acid regurgitation, which tends to occur more frequently on an empty stomach. Additional symptoms include chest pain, mainly due to the irritation of the esophageal mucosa by refluxed digestive juices, causing esophageal spasm and resultant pain. Difficulty swallowing is also a common symptom, initially mainly due to stress-induced spasms leading to swallowing difficulties. In later stages, it is often due to the proliferation of fibrous tissue forming scars that cause esophageal narrowing, resulting in swallowing difficulties. Other common symptoms include bloating, pharyngitis, cough, asthma, and more.