Why is it important to know if I have acid reflux?

Without a proper diagnosis, you could be treating the wrong condition, or missing an underlying issue such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). If GORD is left untreated, the repeated exposure of your oesophagus to stomach acid can cause irritation and long-term damage, increasing the risk of complications such as Barrett’s oesophagus or, more rarely, oesophageal cancer.