Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, affects 7 to 8 million people in the US alone. Heartburn/acid reflux is its most common symptom. While most people have suffered from heartburn at some time, GERD symptoms can also include: regurgitation of stomach contents into the mouth, difficulty swallowing, and chest pain. The worst long-term complication of GERD is esophageal cancer, caused by continual irritation of the esophagus (the long tube that travels from the mouth to th