* Heartburn is the main symptom. This is a burning feeling which rises from the upper abdomen or lower chest up towards the neck. (It is confusing as it has nothing to do with the heart!)
* Other common symptoms include: pain in the upper abdomen and chest, feeling sick, an acid taste in the mouth, bloating, belching, and a burning pain when you swallow hot drinks. Like heartburn, these symptoms tend to come and go, and tend to be worse after a meal.
* Some uncommon symptoms may occur. If any of these symptoms occur it can make the diagnosis difficult as these symptoms can mimic other conditions. For example:
o A persistent cough, particularly at night sometimes occurs. This is due to the refluxed acid irritating the trachea (windpipe). Asthma symptoms of cough and wheeze can sometimes be due to acid reflux.
o Other mouth and throat symptoms sometimes occur such as gum problems, bad breath, sore throat, hoarseness, and a feeling of a lump in the throat.
o Severe chest pain develops in some cases (and may be mistaken for a heart attack).