If you are taking antacids regularly, you could be suffering from more than just heartburn. In a recent national survey, 9 out of 10 people mistakenly assumed their gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD) was heartburn.

GERD occurs when stomach acid moves in the wrong direction and flows back into the esophagus. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications such as bleeding or ulcers in the esophagus, which can eventually lead to esophageal cancer.

Common symptoms of GERD include:

• Feeling that food is stuck behind the breastbone
• Heartburn or a burning pain in the chest
• Nausea after eating
• Less common symptoms are:
• Bringing food back up (regurgitation)
• Cough or wheezing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hiccups
• Hoarseness or change in voice
• Sore throat

Symptoms may get worse when you bend over or lie down, or when you eat. Symptoms may also be worse at night.

But although it is more serious than heartburn, GERD can be treated with lifestyle changes and medication.

• If you are overweight or obese, in many cases, losing weight can help.
• Avoid drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn). Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) to relieve pain.
• Take all of your medicines with plenty of water. When your doctor gives you a new medicine, ask whether it will make your heartburn worse.
• You may use over-the-counter antacids after meals and at bedtime, although the relief may not last very long. Common side effects of antacids include diarrhea or constipation.
• Other over-the-counter and prescription drugs can treat GERD. They work more slowly than antacids, but give you longer relief. Your pharmacist, doctor, or nurse can tell you how to take these drugs.

 Anti-reflux surgery may be an option for patients whose symptoms do not go away with lifestyle changes and drugs. Heartburn and other symptoms should improve after surgery. But you may still need to take drugs for your heartburn. There are also new therapies for reflux that can be performed through an endoscope (a flexible tube passed through the mouth into the stomach). Ask your physician about treatment options.