dr9ohm · GERD Severity Score

Reflux severity index
GERD & LPR Severity Index

Quick answer (BLUF): A 0–15 symptom index (5 items × 0–3) inspired by GerdQ/RSI, plus lifestyle and urgent yes/no items that do not add to the 15. Reflects symptom burden — not a GERD diagnosis.

5 core symptom items (0–3) inspired by GerdQ / RSI
+ 5 lifestyle + 5 urgent items (not in the 15) — not a disease diagnosis

How to answer

Symptoms: choose 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 by frequency and severity
Lifestyle and urgent: answer Yes / No (not in the 15 — any urgent Yes means see a doctor now even if the score is low)

Questions synthesized from GerdQ and RSI (Reflux Symptom Index) — score reflects symptoms/behavior; it does not confirm a GERD diagnosis · Asst. Prof. Dr. Norawit Raatpiboon

Symptom score (Raw Score)

0 / 15

Symptoms answered 0/5 · Lifestyle 0/5 · Urgent 0/5

Part 1 — Core symptoms (scored)

Q1: Classic warning signs (Classic Symptoms)

How often do you have heartburn or epigastric fullness/pressure after meals?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Q2: Regurgitation

How often do you have sour burps or bitter/sour fluid rising into the throat?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Q3: Sleep architecture (Sleep Disruption)

How often do you wake at night from cough, tightness, breathlessness, or need extra pillows to sleep?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Q4: Quiet laryngeal threat (LPR)

How often do you have throat irritation, hoarseness, or frequent throat-clearing, especially in the morning?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Q5: Medication reliance

How often in a week do you need acid-reducing medicine (liquid / tablets / PPIs) to control these symptoms?

0 — None
1 — Mild (1–2 days/week)
2 — Moderate (3–4 days/week)
3 — Severe / almost daily, life-disrupting

Part 2 — Lifestyle profile (for personalized guidance)

Not in the 15 — helps the Advisory team pick a better Intensive Summary for your context.

1. In the past week, you had late meals or went to bed within 2–3 hours of eating more than 3 times

Yes
No

2. You drink coffee, strong tea, soda, or alcohol, or eat fried/spicy/very sour foods almost every day

Yes
No

3. You lie flat right after eating, or regularly use a low pillow / sleep fully flat

Yes
No

4. You have ongoing stress, eat in a rush, or snack when stressed

Yes
No

5. You have used acid reducers for a long time, or symptoms surged after stopping (possible rebound)

Yes
No

Part 3 — Urgent symptoms (not in the score of 15)

Any Yes means see a doctor now — a low score does not cancel this signal.

1. Chest pain radiating to arm, neck, or jaw with cold sweat or shortness of breath

Yes — see a doctor now
No

2. Black stools or vomiting blood / coffee-ground material

Yes — see a doctor now
No

3. Food sticking on swallow or painful swallowing

Yes — see a doctor now
No

4. Unintentional abnormal weight loss

Yes — see a doctor now
No

5. Unrelenting vomiting or sudden pale weakness

Yes — see a doctor now
No

0 points

Start your reflux symptom assessment

When all 5 symptom items are answered, the score and risk band update automatically

Important notes (Red Flags)

Chest pain radiating to the arm, sweating, shortness of breath, black stools, vomiting blood, food sticking, or unintentional weight loss → see a doctor now. Do not use this score instead of care, and do not stop prescribed strong acid suppressants on your own (Rebound: PPI Rebound Acid Trap).

What a 0–15 score means

Symptom-density bands — not a diagnosis

Score	Band	Meaning	What not to do
0–4	Not dense yet	Keep tracking; do not skip red-flag signals	Do not delay exams because of ads
5–7	Starting to recur	Plan to see a clinician for this system	Do not add supplements on your own
8–10	Clearly disruptive	Do not ignore — book a visit	Do not use a quiz instead of a clinic visit
11–15	High density	Check Red Flags now	Do not treat this as a diagnosis

Frequently asked questions

Does a high score diagnose GERD?

No. It reflects symptom/behavior burden inspired by GerdQ/RSI — not a confirmed diagnosis.

Do lifestyle answers change the 0–15 total?

No. Lifestyle and urgent items personalize guidance; only Part 1 scores 0–15.

Can I stop my PPI because of this quiz?

No. Do not stop prescribed medicine without your clinician — rebound is common.

What if I marked an urgent Yes but my score is low?

Urgent Yes overrides a low score — seek care now.

Is this the same as the epigastric burn score?

No. Mid-chest reflux/LPR is this layer; under-xiphoid burn is the URD/epigastric layer.

Medical Disclaimer: For general education only — not personalized medical advice. General education only.
Seek care immediately for dangerous signals · Asst. Prof. Dr. Norawit Raatpiboon
· Thai twin: https://dr9ohm.com/gerd-severity-score/