Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - GERD is a disease in which the liquid contents of the stomach reflux up into the swallowing tube (esophagus), the voice box (larynx), or even down into the lungs, often creating inflammation in the swallowing tube because of the acidity and bilious nature of the liquid. In effect, all ages can be affected and the disease is equally common among males and females. Two-thirds of all adults have at some point suffered heartburn due to reflux. One-quarter of adults have had these problems for greater than 10 years. However, only a quarter of the sufferers with this disease actually seek-out a physician. Seventeen percent of adults use indigestion aids at least one weekly, most of these for heartburn related to reflux. It is indeed more common during pregnancy, with between 30-80% of pregnant women reporting this problem. The symptoms of GERD are heartburn, which most commonly involves burning chest pain below the breastbone. Additional problems which can be related to GERD are regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, angina-like chest pain, and asthma. Less commonly, patients suffering from this problem can develop laryngitis, a chronic cough, the sensation of something being "stuck in the throat," or the loss of tooth enamel. While many of the symptoms of GERD can be successfully treated with medicines, in some patients surgery offers the opportunity to significantly improve their symptoms and potentially enable people to stop taking medicines.