GERD Q: Do you have hoarseness, chronic cough, choking episodes, trouble swallowing, lump in throat, chronic throat clearing, postnasal drip, heartburn, or asthma? A: If your answer is yes, you may have GERD. GERD doesn’t always present with heartburn. It may show up as any of the above symptoms. Q: What causes GERD? A: It’s not actually the stomach acid itself that causes GERD. It is the pepsin (the enzyme in the stomach that helps digest protein). Pepsin is activated by acid, but it isn’t the acid that causes…
