One of the most common conditions seen in a gastroenterology clinic is Heartburn also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). What happens is that acid, which is made in the stomach, shoots up into your food pipe and irritates its lining. Symptoms include burning in the chest or throat, acid taste in the back of the mouth, trouble swallowing, raspy voice or unexplained cough, or no symptoms at all. We recommend evaluation by our clinic if you have had long standing symptoms or find it difficult to get symptoms under control. Urgent evaluation is needed in cases when the symptoms include difficulty swallowing, weight loss without effort, black or tarry stools, vomit, or chest pain. At times performing an upper endoscopy to visualize the degree of damage to the stomach and esophageal lining is necessary to better direct treatment. Mostly, management of this condition consists of lifestyle modifications and acid suppressing agents.