This increase has a lot to do with our modern lifestyle, so this means that there are steps people can take to control symptoms. Being overweight is one of the causes behind this problem, and with the numbers of obese people climbing each year, it is understandable that the cases of chronic heartburn are piling up. Stress is a big problem too, as it leads to behaviors that make reflux worse.

It is a good idea for someone with heartburn acid reflux to understand the difference between an occasional nuisance and a problem that needs medical attention.

Almost everyone will have a bout of heartburn or two at one point or another in their lifetime. This happens when eating spicy foods or perhaps when someone has been drinking a lot of coffee and has forgotten to eat. Many of the foods that promote excess acid production can cause problems for anyone on occasion. Normally this is harmless and goes away with a simple over-the-counter medication and is forgotten about. Occasional sufferers never wake up at night with pain, and they never have any of the secondary symptoms.

Those who are diagnosed with GERD have a different story to tell. The main thing they feel most of the time is the burning that is associated with the acid production, and when that acid leaks up into the esophagus and throat, it hurts.

When this is happening, there may be damage to these tissues as they are not capable of handling that acid. There are many times when someone with GERD feels like they have a lump in their throat, or they may experience a sore throat on a regular basis. They will probably find that they are also waking up many times during the night. Sinus problems are sometimes a secondary symptom that points to problems with acid reflux.

There are other secondary symptoms that indicate a case of acid reflux might need medical intervention. They may seem unrelated, but when you add them to the more common and obvious hearturn symptoms, they are an indication that medications might be needed.

These might include a sore throat in the morning and even a feeling like there is a lump in throat or it is closing up. A person with GERD might feel tired each day from waking up many times in the night with pain and other symptoms. Once all of these fall into place, it will be obvious that something is wrong and damage from acid escaping into the esophagus may have occurred.

These symptoms are hard to deal with, but there is a lot of hope for anyone who has heartburn acid reflux. There are medications that can help reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach. These are called proton pump inhibitors. They stop the production of acid so that the tissues that have been damaged have a chance to heal. These are only needed for about two months and healing should be complete.

Add a change in diet and stress management to that and these together can greatly help with many of the heartburn acid reflux symptoms.