Some people prefer food and always eat until they’re full when they encounter something delicious. But over time there is always heartburn in the chest after eating, and also love to burp, acid reflux. This is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) at work. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is also a very common disease in clinical practice. Surveys show that the incidence of GERD in the general population is about 6%, and the incidence of esophageal mucosal damage in these people who undergo gastroscopy is about 2%. Under normal circumstances, swallowed food is pushed into the stomach due to propulsive peristaltic contractions of the esophagus, and food that enters the stomach does not reflux back into the esophagus. This is because the junction of the esophagus and the stomach forms a high-pressure band – like a one-way valve – so that food can only enter the stomach and not exit. However, once this valve becomes dysfunctional, or the propulsive peristaltic capacity of the esophagus itself is reduced, the contents of the stomach tend to reflux into the esophagus, causing the corresponding clinical symptoms, which is primary GERD. The reason why the valve loses its function is congenital in some people, in others it is related to smoking, alcohol, obesity and mental stress, and in others it is related to overeating. Let’s say that if a person’s stomach is always overfilled, like a ball with enough air and too much tension, it will constantly stimulate the valve at the gastroesophageal junction, leading to a transient relaxation and the stomach contents will reflux into the esophagus. The stomach contents, which contain stomach acid and various digestive enzymes, irritate the esophageal mucosa, sometimes even leading to mucosal erosion (reflux esophagitis), and the patient will have the corresponding symptoms. Do not underestimate the disease of GERD, many people will feel that it affects their life and work, affecting the quality of life. Some patients have symptoms of esophageal irritation such as retrosternal chest pain and painful swallowing. There can also be extra-esophageal irritation symptoms that manifest as coughing and asthma. So how should GERD be treated? The first recommended treatment for GERD is general treatment, which involves improving poor lifestyle and changing dietary habits to reduce reflux. Medication can be used to directly reduce the irritating effect of reflux according to the condition, and the recommended course of medication for the first treatment is 8 – 12 weeks. For patients with recurrent chronic GERD, long-term treatment is theoretically advisable. However, long-term suppression of gastric acid is also not good, long-term use of acid-suppressing drugs will not only increase the economic burden of patients, but also may bring adverse reactions to the organism, this situation can be considered anti-reflux surgical treatment.