Direct answer. Acid reflux happens when stomach acid and food flow back up into the food pipe. The burning feeling in the chest is called heartburn. Most people improve with meal timing, weight control and short courses of medicine. If it comes more than twice a week, or brings trouble swallowing, vomiting or weight loss, see a gastro doctor. Dr Raman Garg treats this at Bombay Gastro & Cancer Institute, Bathinda, Punjab, India.
What is acid reflux, in plain words
At the lower end of your food pipe there is a small muscle ring, like a rubber band. It opens to let food into the stomach and closes to keep it there. When this ring is weak or relaxes at the wrong time, acid climbs up. The food pipe has no thick protective lining like the stomach, so it burns. That burn is heartburn, or what many families call seene mein jalan or khatti dakar.
When reflux becomes a habit, doctors call it GERD, short for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Occasional reflux after a heavy wedding meal is not a disease. Reflux that returns again and again is.
Common symptoms
- Burning behind the breastbone, often after meals or when lying down
- Sour or bitter water coming up in the mouth
- Burping, a feeling of food stuck in the chest
- Dry cough at night, hoarse voice, sore throat in the morning
- Pet me jalan in the upper stomach with bloating
Why it happens: causes and risk factors
A 45 year old shopkeeper from Rampura Phul often has the same story. Tea on an empty stomach at 8 AM, a heavy lunch at 3 PM after the rush, a big dinner at 10 PM, then straight to bed. Every one of those habits feeds reflux.
| Cause or trigger | How it triggers reflux |
|---|---|
| Late and heavy dinner | Full stomach pushes acid up when you lie down |
| Extra weight, big belly | Pressure on the stomach pushes contents upward |
| Fried food, pakode, parathas with extra ghee | Stay long in the stomach and relax the ring |
| Smoking, tobacco, alcohol | Weaken the ring muscle and raise acid |
| Tea and coffee on an empty stomach | Raise acid when no food is there to absorb it |
| Hiatal hernia | The stomach slides up through the diaphragm and the ring stops working well |
| Pregnancy, some pain tablets, stress | Raise acid or slow emptying |
Heartburn or heart attack? How to tell
This question matters, because the two can feel alike. Chest pain that spreads to the left arm or jaw, comes with sweating, breathlessness or a heavy pressure feeling, needs an emergency room at once. Do not wait to see if it is gas. Go to the nearest hospital first. Reflux burning usually sits behind the breastbone, comes after food or on lying down, and eases with sitting up or an antacid. If you are over 40 and unsure, get an ECG before you assume it is acidity.
How Dr Raman Garg checks it
In many people the story and examination are enough to begin treatment. Tests are added when there are warning signs or when medicine has not worked.
- Upper GI endoscopy: a thin camera tube looks at the food pipe and stomach. Most patients go home the same day.
- H pylori stool antigen test: checks for the stomach germ that can add to acid trouble.
- Barium swallow, GERD pH study or manometry: used in selected cases, arranged with trusted imaging partners in Bathinda, and Dr Raman Garg reviews the report the same day.
| Item | Starting | Average | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| OPD consultation | Rs 500 | Rs 700 | Rs 1,000 |
| Upper GI endoscopy | Rs 2,000 | Rs 3,200 | Rs 5,000 |
| H pylori stool antigen test | Rs 1,000 | Rs 1,600 | Rs 2,000 |
| GERD pH study | Rs 3,000 | Rs 5,000 | Rs 8,000 |
Note: These are typical Punjab costs for 2026. The final cost may vary after Dr Raman Garg examines you, depending on the number of tests needed and your health.
Treatment: from lifestyle to surgery
- Lifestyle first. Dinner at least 3 hours before sleep. Smaller meals. Lose 3 to 5 kg if you carry extra weight. Raise the head end of the bed by 6 inches. Stop tobacco.
- Medicines. Antacids for quick relief, and acid-reducing tablets for a few weeks when needed. These are taken as advised by the doctor, not for years on your own.
- Treat the cause. If H pylori is found, a short course of antibiotics clears it.
- Surgery, only for a few. If you have a large hiatal hernia, or reflux that keeps returning despite good medicine, keyhole fundoplication tightens the valve. Most patients do not need this. It is advised only after tests confirm the need.
Mistakes we see in Malwa homes
- Taking a pan masala or soda after meals as a cure. It gives a minute of relief and then more acid.
- Buying the same tablet from the chemist for 2 years without a check. A hidden ulcer or growth can be missed.
- Lying down straight after lunch because the day was tiring. Sit or walk slowly for 20 minutes.
- Ignoring a food-stuck feeling. See the doctor, because this is a warning sign.
When to see a doctor
Same-day hospital care: vomiting blood, black tarry stool, severe chest pain with sweating, food completely stuck and not even water goes down. Call +91 82641-60001 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Book a visit this week: heartburn more than twice a week, trouble or pain on swallowing, repeated vomiting, unexplained weight loss, anaemia, symptoms past age 45 that are new, or no relief after 2 weeks of medicine. You can read more on our acid reflux and GERD treatment page, and see what a scope test involves on the endoscopy in Bathinda page.
Cashless insurance
Endoscopy and surgery are covered by many policies. BGCI is empanelled with Aditya Birla Health Insurance, Niva Bupa, Care Health Insurance, ICICI Lombard, Medi Assist TPA and almost all other major insurers and TPAs. Our insurance desk arranges pre-authorisation. See the full cashless insurance process.
Patients from nearby towns
People from Rampura Phul and Maur Mandi often reach us in about 40 minutes. You can send your old reports on WhatsApp first and get advice before travelling. Learn more about the doctor on Dr Raman Garg's profile, or browse every condition we treat in our gastro treatment hub. Also read: Gas and acidity ka ilaj and GERD diet: foods to avoid.
OPD: Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Sunday: emergency only. Call or WhatsApp +91 82641-60001. Address: Bombay Gastro & Cancer Institute, Power House Road, Near Street No. 10, Bathinda, Punjab 151001.
This article is general information; your plan is set after Dr Raman Garg examines you.