What exactly is heartburn? It is a burning sensation that begins in the stomach and radiates into the chest and throat. Heartburn is most likely to occur when you have done one of the following activities: lifting, lying down on your back, after you have eaten a heavy meal or bending over. Heartburn can also mimic a heart attack. When a person is having a very bad case of heartburn, it is hard to decipher whether a person is actually having a heart attack or is just suffering from heartburn. It is better to have the condition checked out just to be on the safe side.

Another common symptom is regurgitation. This is a feeling that you have when acid backs up into your throat. In some cases, acid can regurgitate up into the mouth. This is called a "wet burp". In rare cases, acid regurgitation can cause vomiting.

Those people who frequently experience acid reflux symptoms at night usually experience more severe symptoms that people who suffer with it during the day. However, most people experience their symptoms during the night. When you continually experience such symptoms, it can mean that you have a damaged esophagus. Therefore, it would be a good idea to consult your doctor about this problem. Having severe heartburn does not necessarily mean that you have a damaged esophagus. However, it is still better to get the problem checked out.

There are other GERD symptoms that are less common. One symptom is chest pain or chest sensations. One may feel that food is trapped somewhere behind the breastbone.

Other less common symptom is throat irritations which include hoarseness, dry cough, or the feeling that there is always a lump in your throat resulting in you always having to clear your throat. In rare instances, a person may have difficulty swallowing their food which, as a result, would cause severe chest pain. It can feel as if the food is stuck in the esophagus. Other acid reflux symptoms include chronic sore throat and constant hiccups.

Some people have acid reflux symptoms such as coughing and wheezing. A person who experiences constant nausea for a period of weeks at a time and is not associated with a particular cause of stomach upset may be suffering from acid reflux symptoms. Vomiting may be a daily occurrence. However, before determining that the cause of such symptoms is acid reflux disease, other causes of chronic nausea and vomiting must first be ruled out.

There is also a condition which is called Barrett's Esophagus. It can cause a change to the lining of one's esophagus due to repeated acid reflux occurrences. About 10% of these cases will turn into esophageal cancer. If you happen to suffer from Barrett's Esophagus, then you must undergo regular examinations, and you should be receiving treatment for your acid reflux.