The most common symptom of acid reflux is heartburn. Having heartburn doesn’t mean you have reflux, it can also be caused by other ailments, including a serious Candida yeast infection or overgrowth. A Candida infection can result in a wide range of problems including thrush, depression, skin irritations, heartburn, and hemorrhoids.

It is possible to have acid reflux without suffering from heartburn, there are a variety of other atypical symptoms that can occur.

Acid reflux will usually occur after eating, symptoms may take an hour or two to appear depending on what you have eaten, how much you have eaten and what you do after eating. If you lie down, bend over, or exercise, your reflux symptoms will get worse.

If you suffer from acid reflux symptoms more than twice a week, you may have GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and should see a doctor. GERD is caused by damage to the esophagus when stomach contents are in contact with it for long periods of time.

Acidity

Heartburn is characterized by a burning or restless sensation behind the breastbone, the sensation can also spread to the throat and neck. The burning sensation is the result of stomach contents moving up through the esophagus (the tube between the throat and the stomach) and into the throat.

About 75% of acid reflux sufferers will experience heartburn at night.

Heartburn has nothing to do with the heart.

Difficulty to swallow

A burning sensation or pain in the throat may be felt when swallowing, the pain may become severe when swallowing food. This may also be accompanied by the feeling that a piece of food is stuck in the throat or chest. This is caused by damage to the membrane lining the throat and esophagus due to excessive exposure to gastric acid.

Upset stomach or indigestion

About 50% of patients with reflux will experience an upset stomach, which can be characterized by pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen, nausea after eating, excessive belching, and the feeling of a full stomach much sooner than expected.

regurgitation

This is where gastric contents (food, gastric acid, and enzymes) flow into the pharynx (back wall of the mouth) and sometimes even into the mouth. This is often accompanied by a bitter or sour taste in the mouth.

asthmatic symptoms

It is characterized by wheezing, coughing and sneezing. Breathing naturally is difficult. When you regurgitate, acid or acid vapor can end up in your lungs, resulting in asthma symptoms, particularly in people with asthma.

hoarseness or harshness of the voice

Due to the pressure on the vocal cords, your voice may sound raspy and you may face problems when you speak and need to clear your throat frequently. The lining of the throat can also harden if it has been regularly exposed to stomach acid.

Yellow fluid or stains on the pillow

If you have reflux during the night you may wake up to find yellow fluid or stains on your pillow, the fluid is usually gastric acid.

Many of these symptoms are just normal ailments that most of us tend to have at some point. Acid reflux becomes apparent when there are enough symptoms to allow your doctor to diagnose it. Your doctor may run tests to confirm your diagnosis.

There are natural cures for acid reflux, simple changes to your diet are usually enough to completely stop all acid reflux symptoms.

Carefully review the short-term and long-term side effects of taking antacids and other acid reflux medications, many of which can make your condition worse. The FDA has issued a safety warning about long-term use of proton pump inhibitors, long-term use can lead to osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures.