Acid reflux or Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) disease occurs when the acid-rich liquid content of the stomach regurgitates into the esophagus. This acid-rich liquid can inflame and damage the lining of your esophagus. The refluxed liquid may also contain bile that has backed up into the stomach from the small intestine (duodenum).
Stomach acid is the most harmful component of the refluxed liquid. Although bile may damage your esophagus, the extent of the damage is not as completely understood as the damaging effects of stomach acid.
Unfortunately, acid reflux is a chronic condition. There is no cure. Even after you receive acid reflux treatment and your esophagus heals, the symptoms will return, and the damage will reoccur.
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What is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux or Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) disease occurs when the acid-rich liquid content of the stomach regurgitates into the esophagus. This acid-rich liquid can inflame and damage the lining of your esophagus. The refluxed liquid may also contain bile that has backed up into the stomach from the small intestine (duodenum).
Stomach acid is the most harmful component of the refluxed liquid. Although bile may damage your esophagus, the extent of the damage is not as completely understood as the damaging effects of stomach acid.
Unfortunately, acid reflux is a chronic condition. There is no cure. Even after you receive acid reflux treatment and your esophagus heals, the symptoms will return, and the damage will reoccur.
What causes Acid Reflux?
There is not a clear-cut cause of acid reflux. The causes of acid reflux can vary from person to person. Some people simply produce a higher amount of stomach acid, but in most cases, the following factors contribute to acid reflux in patients:
- After eating a large or fatty meal.
- After drinking alcohol.
- Lying down, bending over, or bending and lifting.
- After smoking.
- After eating chocolate, caffeine, onions, spicy foods, mint, and some medications.
- Lying down soon after eating.
- After taking tranquilizers, such as benzodiazepines including diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax).
- After taking Theophylline (Elixophyllin), an asthma medication. In some cases, acid reflux symptoms may have no apparent cause.
Acid Reflux Symptoms
- A painful or burning sensation in the upper abdomen or chest, sometimes radiating to the back (heartburn).
- Difficulties breathing and suffering from hoarseness because the refluxed fluid irritates the larynx and respiratory tract.
- Excess belching is common.
How does acid reflux affect you?
- Acid reflux is unpleasant and can greatly affect your lifestyle.
- The symptoms can lower your quality of life.
- Prolonged exposure to refluxed acid leads to oesophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), and in extreme cases can cause scar tissue that makes it difficult or impossible to swallow.
- It can cause ulceration that leads to bleeding and an iron deficiency.
Excess weight puts extra pressure on your stomach and diaphragm, the large muscle that separates your chest and abdomen, forcing open the lower esophageal sphincter and allowing stomach acids to back up into your esophagus. Consuming enormous meals or dishes with high-fat content can induce the same results.
During
pregnancy, the baby puts extra pressure on the stomach, leading to an increase in progesterone hormone production. A hormone called Gastrin is known to help relax the muscles, including the lower esophageal sphincter. It works by providing a calming effect.
Doctors aren’t certain of the exact relationship between
asthma and heartburn. Coughing and breathing difficulty can cause a different pressure range in your chest and; abdomen, leading to stomach acid flowing back up into the esophagus. Some treatments for asthma may also relax the lower esophageal sphincter, making it more likely for acid reflux to occur. Or it’s possible that the acid reflux that causes heartburn may worsen
asthma symptoms. One possible outcome of the throat and esophagus liquids entering the lungs is that small amounts might be drawn in, resulting in damage to the airways, damaging lung airways.
One Diabetes can cause a rare disorder called gastroparesis, where food takes too long to be emptied from your stomach. This can make managing your diabetes more challenging. Stomach acid can be pushed back up into your esophagus if the contents of your stomach stay there for an extended period of time, leading to uncomfortable
heartburn.
Abnormalities in the pylorus, which is the valve regulating the entry of food into the small intestine, can lead to open sores or scars that can hinder its proper functioning and block food passage. Food doesn’t empty from your stomach as fast as it should, causing stomach acid to build up and back up into your esophagus.
The most common time for acid reflux is during the day after you eat. Studies show reflux commonly occurs at these times as a result of LES relaxations caused by distention of the stomach with food. Several illnesses such as diabetes or an ulcer can disrupt the normal functioning of a person’s nerves and muscles, resulting in their stomach taking longer to empty. This can lead to acid backing up into the esophagus.
Diseases such as scleroderma that cause muscular tissue to thicken and swell can keep digestive muscles from relaxing and contracting as they should, allowing acid reflux.
One of the complications of this rare disorder is that your stomach produces extremely high amounts of acid, increasing the risk of acid reflux.
The
LES is a specialized ring of muscle that surrounds the end of the esophagus joined to the stomach. Your LES opens when food or saliva is swallowed but closes to prevent reflux. Acid reflux occurs when your LES abnormally relaxes or contracts weakly. Extended relaxation or weak contractions allow more acid to travel back up the esophagus.
Swallowing is a key factor in preventing acid reflux. When you swallow, you contract the esophageal muscles. This contraction pushes food, saliva, and acid back into your stomach. In certain patients, this contraction is not strong enough to push the acid back into the stomach.
Hiatal hernias are another contributing factor to acid reflux, although doctors and researchers are not sure how they contribute. Studies show that a majority of patients who suffer from acid reflux also have Hiatal hernias.
Studies also indicate that people with Hiatal hernias don’t always suffer from acid reflux disease. A hiatal hernia occurs when a small part of your upper stomach that attaches to the esophagus is pushed through the diaphragm. This forces the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to lie in the chest. As a result, your LES is no longer level with your diaphragm. Normally, the pressure exerted by your diaphragm and LES prevents reflux, but after the LES is pushed into the chest, the additive pressure is decreased.
Hiatal hernias may also contribute to your acid reflux disease because when a hiatal hernia is present, a hernial sac is also present. This hernial sac is separated from your esophagus by the LES and the diaphragm. In certain cases, the hernial sac traps acid coming from your stomach, which means it is easier for the acid to reflux whenever your LES relaxes.
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