To know the symptoms and treatment of acid reflux, you should first understand what exactly this diagnosis means.  Acid reflux disease is commonly associated with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), but having one does not mean you absolutely have the other.   The stomach makes acid to aid in the breakdown of food particles.  Sometimes, if the stomach produces too much hydrochloric acid, it will creep back upward and actually get into the esophagus.  The lower esophageal sphincter, a tiny flap at the bottom of the esophagus, allows food to pass from the esophagus into the stomach.  If the sphincter gets too relaxed or the muscle is weakened food and acid have a greater chance to reflux upward.