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SUNDAY, Nov. 23 (HealthDayNews) -- If you're popping antacids regularly, you could be suffering more than mild heartburn.

And you may be ignoring the symptoms of a more serious, though treatable, digestive disorder called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Experts say many people mistakenly assume GERD is heartburn and aren't aware of other symptoms such as bloating or gas, an acid taste in the mouth, trouble swallowing or regurgitation of food.

In fact, almost nine of 10 people in a recent national survey incorrectly assumed GERD is simply heartburn. The survey, by Harris Interactive, found nearly 70 percent of those with GERD symptoms haven't discussed them with a health-care professional and almost half relied solely on over-the-counter antacids.

That means many suffer needlessly because they don't get more effective medications. But more than that, experts say, chronic GERD, if untreated, can lead to serious complications, including ulcers; bleeding from the lining of the esophagus; narrowing of the esophagus; and Barrett's esophagus, a change in the cellular makeup of the esophagus that increases the risk of esophageal cancer.

Given that lack of awareness, health experts have declared Nov. 23-29 GERD Awareness Week.

GERD occurs when stomach acid moves in the wrong direction, flowing back into the esophagus when a valve between the esophagus and stomach fails to close properly.

Dr. Vikram Khoshoo, a pediatric gastroenterologist at West Jefferson Medical Center in New Orleans, says it's important to distinguish occasional heartburn from GERD. If you get indigestion after having margaritas and nachos, for example, you can take an over-the-counter medication to treat the symptoms, he says.

But, Khoshoo adds, "If you have persistent symptoms... they must be treated very systematically."

Over-the-counter antacids are typically the first medications used to treat GERD. Other over-the-counter and prescription drugs slow or stop acid production.

Drugs known as proton-pump inhibitors effectively shut off acid production, reduce GERD symptoms and help cure inflammation of the esophagus.

GERD also has been associated with alcohol use, smoking, being overweight and pregnancy. Citrus fruits, chocolate, garlic, onions and tomato-based and spicy foods could be linked to GERD, too.

So, lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol, losing weight and eating smaller meals might help relieve GERD symptoms.

If lifestyle changes or medications fail, you may need tests that help spot abnormalities or inflammation of the esophagus.

Surgical treatment includes a procedure in which the upper part of the stomach is wrapped around the muscle connecting the esophagus with the stomach. Other, newer procedures help strengthen the muscle, but long-term effects remain unknown, experts say.

Why people get GERD remains uncertain, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. But the agency, part of the National Institutes of Health, says a hiatal hernia -- when part of the upper part of the stomach moves up in the chest, above the muscle that separates the stomach and chest -- may contribute to GERD.

Many dismiss symptoms of GERD as mere annoyances, but effective treatment can reduce the risk of more serious conditions, says Dr. Stephen A. Brunton, vice chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C.

"We now have good therapies. All we used to have is antacids," Brunton says. "One needs to bring it to the attention of a physician because we've got medicines to treat it now."

Whatever the risk of more serious conditions, treatment for persistent GERD is worthwhile, Brunton says. "The change in the person's quality of life will be so dramatic," he adds, "that there's no reason really not to go see a physician."

Khoshoo says GERD can be harder to detect among older children and adults because they typically don't spit up, as younger patients do.

"Atypical" GERD, he says, may include symptoms such as chronic cough, hoarseness, asthma and infections of the ear, throat or sinuses.

More information

For more on GERD, visit the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases or the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.

(SOURCES: Vikram Khoshoo, M.D., Ph.D., pediatric gastroenterologist, West Jefferson Medical Center, New Orleans; Stephen A. Brunton, M.D., vice chairman, Department of Family Medicine, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, N.C.)

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