Newswise — More than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month and some studies suggest more than 15 million Americans experience heartburn symptoms each day.Are you one of them?How severe is your heartburn?What are the chances that it is something more serious?
Here's a simple self-test developed by a panel of experts from the American College of Gastroenterology. Test yourself to see if you're a GERD sufferer and are taking the right steps to treat it.
1. Do you frequently have one or more of the following:a) An uncomfortable feeling behind the breastbone that seems to be moving upward from the stomach?b) A burning sensation in the back of your throat?c) A bitter acid taste in your mouth?
2. Do you often experience these problems after meals?
3. Do you experience heartburn or acid indigestion two or more times per week?
4. Do you find that antacids provide temporary relief from your symptoms?
5. Are you taking prescription medication to treat heartburn, but still having symptoms?
If you said yes to two or more of the above questions, you may have GERD. To know for sure, see your doctor or a gastrointestinal specialist. They can help you live pain free.
For more information about heartburn and GERD, visit the ACG website at http://www.acg.gi.org.
About the American College of Gastroenterology
Founded in 1932, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) is an organization with an international membership of more than 10,000 individuals from 80 countries. The College is committed to serving the clinically oriented digestive disease specialist through its emphasis on scholarly practice, teaching and research. The mission of the College is to serve the evolving needs of physicians in the delivery of high quality, scientifically sound, humanistic, ethical, and cost-effective health care to gastroenterology patients.
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