I suffer from heart burn pretty regularly, and I have heard a bunch about Acid Reflex Syndrome. My question is how does one draw the line between normal heart burn and Acid Reflex Syndrome? I am not asking for any diagnosis here, but sometimes I wonder if I suffer from this (trendy?) condition.
mark
Personally, I don’t think there’s much of a difference. Perhaps you could argue that heartburn is a symptom, whereas “Acid Reflux Syndrome” is the illness or condition.
To a large part, it also depends on the frequency. Occasional heartburn is common. If it’s frequent or disabling, then you could call it a syndrome.
I think the use of the term “Acid Reflux Syndrome” has much to do with two things:
Chronic and severe acid reflux may lead to changes in the lining of the esophagus (swallowing tube) that are the first step in malignancy or may actually cause malignancy (Look here). So, it may merit syndrome status.
There’s less glamour for the drug companies to tout a treatment for “heartburn” then there is for “Acid Reflux Syndrome”.
“Difference between Heart Burn and Acid Reflex Syndrome”. As someone who has the latter…
It’s just a matter of degree. And when you realize this, most a matter of self-diagnosis, in that you must decide whether the former has become troublesome enough to be the latter. No doubt you can find some advisory chart somewhere that suggests different treatment protocols based on population norms.
My advice is DON’T “walk it off”. I ended up in an emergency room because I didn’t take it seriously enough.
Heart burn is when the esophagus is inflamed, usually from stomach acid. Acid Reflex Syndrome is when the esophagus has been damaged and one of the symptoms in heart burn. There are other more serious symptoms such as food getting caught in the esophagus. :eek:
Heart burn, reflux, and GERD are all the same. GERD is an acronym for gastroesophageal reflux disease. And, it’s [BOLD] REFLUX [/bold} not REFLEX. One who has GERD may eventually develop Barrett’s esophagitis, which is a precursor to the adenocarcinoma noted in the link above. IANAMD, but I believe that the above is correct.
No. Heart burn (acid reflux or GERD) is caused by a problem with the esophageal valve that normally prevents reflux (or regurgitation) from the stomach back into the esophagus. This reflux contains acid and if the problem is chronic and long-standing, it can lead to the inflamed esophagus (Barrett’s esophagitis). This can eventually lead to a cancer. Everybody has an occasional heart burn, especially when eating good, old spicy Kosher food 
, but it is pathologic when it occurs regularly.
To add to the above: a person may have GERD but not heartburn.
A couple of years ago, I was constantly choking on food. When I saw a GI specialist, I was diagnosed with GERD. Turns out (as I understand it), the reflux was causing my esophogus to spasm, which was trapping the food. When I did the barium swallowing test, he said the reflux was pretty bad. Despite this, I had never had a problem with heartburn. After going on a prescription acid blocker, I no longer have any swallowing difficulties.
Don’t know if this is common or rare, but apparently it can happen.
I too, have to medicate for acid reflux, and I have a hypothesis as to its cause.
The esophagus opens its valve to the stomach to pass food down, but it also opens to let air escape up.
There are a number of people (I am one, and know several others) who for some reason are unable to belch.
It’s weird, but my mom has told me that from birth, she could never get me to burp after feeding. I’d either just get colicky or spit up. (I think she’s forgiven me by now) I don’t know why, but I’m unable to voluntarily open the top of my esophagus to let air out. It’s a bitch! I’ve had to learn to swallow as little air as possible with my food.
So the gas keeps coming up, can’t get out, gets swallowed again. And comes up again. The valve has to open each time, accompanied by some sloshing.
I’ve spoken to three other people with serious acid reflux. They are the ones that admit they have trouble burping too.
I submit that it’s different from mere heartburn…anybody can get that, and a Tums® will remedy it.
Comments? (Hope I’m not hijacking too far)
Be Advised–Misdiagnosis is common.
I was told I had GERD. It turned out to be a stomach ulcer. I’m currently under treament for that.
If there is any doubt, get them to run that old fiber-optic probe down your throat. Insist on that.
Good advice for the informed patient, from yo’ Lovin’ Uncle Bosda.
I agree. That was part of my point.