What is heartburn or GERD?
Heartburn is a symptom associated with the reflux of the stomach acid into the esophagus In the stomach, when acid rises to the top of the stomach, it brushes against the esophageal opening and sometimes escapes creating a burning sensation.
For GERD patients, this sensation is severe and can be incapacitating. Prevalence: Sixty percent of the adult population will experience some type of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) within a 12 month period and 20 to 30 percent will have weekly symptoms. Approximately seven million people in the United States have daily symptoms of GERD.