How is GERD Different from acid reflux?

Acid reflux and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) are connected to one another, but there are some differences between them:

Acid reflux is a symptom in which your body is producing too much stomach acid, or the stomach acid/food are able (for any number of reasons) to re-enter your esophagus after being in the stomach.

GERD is what happens when acid reflux is left untreated for an extended period of time, and begins causing more long-term damage to your body. Severe symptoms or signs of GERD include coughing, chest pain, and even oral health issues, if GERD is left untreated.

The main difference between these two is that acid reflux is a common condition, which may subside with lifestyle changes (i.e., losing weight, eating better, etc.), while GERD requires help in order to manage; often a combination of lifestyle changes and prescriptions for GERD treatments.