GERD Severe Pain

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a medical condition where the valve that keeps acid contained in your stomach becomes weak, allowing acid to enter your esophagus. Advanced cases of GERD often cause severe pain.

Cause

• Over time, stomach acid has the potential to wear away or erode your esophagus, causing painful sores.

Features

• Severe pain caused by GERD is often worse when you bend, stoop, lay down or eat, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine. The pain is a burning sensation, normally in your chest or throat.

Time Frame

• Severe pain from GERD is most likely to occur or worsen at night, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Treatment

• If you have severe pain from erosion or sores in your esophagus caused by GERD, your doctor is likely to prescribe a medication known as a proton pump inhibitor, such as esomeprazole or lansoprazole, which reduces the amount of acid your stomach produces and helps your esophagus heal. You may require surgery to prevent the flow of acid into your esophagus or to create scar tissue in your esophagus, making it less vulnerable to the effects of acid.

Warning

• If the severe pain of GERD is accompanied by shortness of breath or pain in your arm or jaw, seek emergency medical attention. This may be a sign of a heart attack rather than symptoms of GERD, warns the Mayo Clinic.