medical
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which your esophagus becomes irritated or inflamed because acid backs up from your stomach. The esophagus is the tube stretching from your throat to your stomach. When you swallow food, it travels down the esophagus. Your stomach produces hydrochloric acid after a meal to aid in the digestion of food. The inner lining of the stomach resists corrosion by this acid. The thick cells that line the stomach secrete large amounts of protective mucus. The lining of your esophagus does not share these resistant features.