If you experience heartburn symptoms from time to time, they are likely caused by acid reflux and are probably not a cause for concern. However, if you experience heartburn symptoms more than twice a week, you may have the chronic reflux characteristic of GERD. If you are experiencing frequent heartburn, especially if it is severe, or any of the other GERD symptoms (difficulty swallowing, problems breathing, dry cough, regurgitation of food or fluid into the mouth) see the doctor right away to be examined for GERD.

In most cases, doctors can diagnose GERD based on your answers to a few questions about your symptoms. However, you may need to undergo other tests to check for complications related to GERD or other digestive conditions.

One way to determine what is happening inside the digestive tract is to place a camera down the throat in a process called endoscopy. With an endoscope, the doctor can see if the stomach or esophagus is inflamed, conditions that commonly occur with GERD. Endoscopy can also reveal other problems such as a peptic ulcer, tumors, or the esophageal condition known as Barrett’s esophagus (in which pre-cancerous changes occur in cells of the esophagus). During an endoscopy, the doctor can take a small sample of the esophagus (a biopsy) to examine for signs of esophageal cancer or Barrett’s esophagus, two potential complications of severe heartburn.

Another test is a barium X-ray in which you to drink a chalky liquid that coats and the digestive tract and then X-rays allow the doctor to see a silhouette of the shape and condition of your esophagus and stomach. This can reveal a hiatal hernia, esophageal narrowing or stricture, or any growths which may cause difficulty swallowing.

A technique for measuring when, and for how long, stomach acid regurgitates into your esophagus is called ambulatory acid (pH) monitoring. This test uses an acid-measuring (pH) probe that is left in place in the lower esophagus to detect acidity at that site throughout the day.