What is the Difference Between Heartburn and GERD?
A burning sensation in your chest. Pain that gets worse when you bend over or lie down. A bitter taste in your mouth. The feeling that you’re about to regurgitate.
These are all symptoms of heartburn, a condition that affects around 60 million Americans, according to the National Library of Medicine.
While heartburn and GERD – gastroesophageal reflux disease—are related, there are also some distinct differences between heartburn and GERD. We’ll take a closer look at these conditions, what separates them, and what our leading gastroenterologists want you to know.
What is the Difference Between Heartburn and GERD?
To fully understand the difference between heartburn and GERD, it helps to first have an understanding of what causes heartburn.
What Is Heartburn Caused By?
Your esophagus is the tube that delivers food from your throat to your stomach. There is a small opening that allows the food to pass through to the stomach. Ideally, the opening closes afterward and there is no problem.
However, sometimes it doesn’t close completely. As a result, stomach acid backs into your esophagus and eventually, your throat.
Most Americans have occasional heartburn, and it’s normally not a cause for alarm. Often, it’s relieved by taking over-the-counter antacids.
The Difference Between Heartburn and GERD
GERD is like a severe form of heartburn. In this case, over-the-counter medications do not provide relief, and the acid reflux can make it difficult to sleep, eat or even work.
Is GERD Serious?
It can be.
If not treated in a timely manner, it can cause extensive damage to your esophagus. It can also lead to cancer.
Will GERD Go Away?
While “regular” heartburn may wax and wane depending upon your diet, GERD will not go away on its own. Delaying treatment places you at risk for a more serious medical condition such as esophageal cancer.
How Is GERD Treated?
At Raleigh Gastroenterology, we are the leading gastroenterologists in Raleigh and the surrounding areas, dedicating our time to creating treatment plans tailored for each individual.
To treat GERD effectively, we’ll first need to evaluate your esophagus in what is called an upper GI endoscopy.
What Is an Upper GI Endoscopy?
During this procedure, we use a long, narrow and flexible tube that is called an endoscope. It has a small video camera and light that enables us to see inside your throat and esophagus.
The tube is gently placed into your mouth. From there, it is put into your throat and slowly moved to your stomach via the esophagus. This gives us an unobstructed view of your upper GI system and enables us to provide a timely and accurate diagnosis.
Does an Endoscopy Hurt?
No. Your throat is numbed during the procedure, and you are also given a sedative to help you relax. There should not be any pain during the procedure, although you might feel some slight discomfort such as bloating or a sore throat.
If you are experiencing pain, you should let us know. We are dedicated to making this procedure as comfortable as possible. It’s a safe procedure, and there is no need to worry.
Because you will be given a sedative, you will need to have someone drive you home after the procedure.
What You Need for an Endoscopy Prep
Preparing for an upper GI endoscopy is relatively simple.
You should not have anything to eat or drink after midnight prior to the exam. It’s also important to ensure that we have an updated list of your current medications. You should notify our office immediately if you are taking diabetic medications or blood thinners (such as Coumadin, Plavix or Aggrenox.)
For more detailed instructions, you can view our useful information on this website.
RMG Gastroenterology: The Provider of Choice for Upper GI Treatment
Do you have chronic, painful heartburn that doesn’t go away despite over-the-counter medication?
It’s important to understand the difference between heartburn and GERD.
Getting an accurate diagnosis is a crucial step toward treatment and reducing your risk for developing cancer.
As an independent, state-certified endoscopy facility, we have been providing the highest level of heartburn and GERD treatment in the Raleigh area for decades.
Five convenient locations throughout Wake and Johnston counties mean we can easily schedule timely patient appointments at one of our three endoscopy centers (located in Raleigh, Wake Forest and Clayton).
In addition, for Wilson residents and those in the surrounding counties of Nash and Edgecombe, we offer the convenience of our Wilson Digestive Disease Center.
Our physicians have extensive experience and are leading experts in their field. They provide both routine screenings and treatment for more complicated medical conditions.
Our Wake Endoscopy Center is a North Carolina State-certified ambulatory surgery center and is 1 of 15 endoscopy facilities in NC that are AAAHC approved.
Contact your primary care provider for a referral, or you can contact us directly for an appointment.
