Are heartburn and acid reflux the same thing?

The terms acid reflux, heartburn (pyrosis), and GORD are often used interchangeably. This is misleading as they are actually different things.

Acid reflux is a condition which occurs when acid is regurgitated from the stomach into the oesophagus. This causes the symptom of heartburn - a burning sensation in the middle of your chest. GORD is chronic acid reflux.

Heartburn is a symptom rather than a condition. It’s a burning feeling in your chest caused by acid in your oesophagus.