If you find yourself reaching for Tums or Pepto-bismol after a big meal, you may be suffering from a bad case of acid reflux. That burning in your chest is an uncomfortable feeling that just won’t go away. But heartburn isn’t the only symptom of acid reflux.

Acid reflux can happen for a lot of reasons. It could be due to a weakened muscle in your esophagus, poor eating habits, or excess stomach acid. Whatever the reason, it can be really dangerous. Here are five symptoms that could be signs of acid reflux.

1. Bitter Taste – If you notice that you seem to always have a bitter taste in your mouth, it could be a sign of acid reflux. When the acid makes your way up your throat, sometimes the taste makes its way to your mouth. This can get so bad that it leads to choking during the night. That makes acid reflux especially dangerous for obvious reasons.

2. Hoarseness – If your voice sounds a little off, sort of like what it sounds like when you have a cold, it could be because your stomach acid has irritated your vocal cords enough to make them sound different.

3. Chronic Cough – If you have one of those coughs that just doesn’t want to go away, it could be due to an excess of stomach acid bubbling up in your throat. It can cause wheezing and be hard to diagnose, but your doctor can do a pH test to determine if that is the cause of your cough.

4. Asthma – If the coughing and wheezing wasn’t bad enough, the excess stomach acid can also lead to asthma. Doctors aren’t sure if the asthma leads to heartburn or vice versa, but they know asthma and acid reflux go hand in hand. They believe it could be because the nerves in your chest are constricting, which could cause issues with the acid levels.

5. Extra Saliva – If your mouth seems to be producing more saliva than normal, it may be because your body is trying to wash the acid away from your throat. It’s the same reaction that happens when you vomit, only instead of coming all the way out, it just damages your insides.

If you are noticing any of these symptoms regularly, you should consider talking to your doctor. There are medications, home remedies, and even foods that can help reduce your acid reflux.

If you found this article helpful, be sure to share it with your family and friends so they can start treating their acid reflux too.