The hydrochloric acid is produced by the stomach and helps in the food digestion.The stomach presents a lining which resists to the corrosion of this acid.At the level of the stomach exists cells which are protected by a mucus.Unfortunately,the lining of the esophagus is not so resistant to fight with the acid of the stomach.The sensation of acid burning the esophagus is associated with the term heartburn, which is not accidental and it is given by its position,because the esophagus lies just behind the heart.The lower esophageal sphincter is composed by a ring of muscle at the bottom.This one prevents the reflux of the acid.
The food can pas slower by the sphincter action which relaxes during swallowing.The sphincter relaxation is made up by the GERD presence, which allows stomach to relax between swallows.Many people in the United States suffers by GERD, which is experienced weekly or daily by 10% of the adult population.Children and infants are also GERD.An unpleasant thing consists in the fact that the gastroesophageal reflux is not well known yet.The reflux can be worse by unusual lifestyle which may contribute to the appearance of several damaging factors.So the lifestyle of a person is influenced in worse by using alcohol or cigarettes, and by the obesity and poor posture.
There are some medications which can relax the lower esophageal sphincter like calcium blockers, theophylline (Tedral, Hydrophed, Marax, Bronchial, Quibron), nitrates, antihistamines.Consuming fatty and fried foods, chocolate, garlic and onions, drinking with caffeine, acid foods such as citrus fruits and tomatoes, spicy food, mint flavorings affects in a bad way the reflux.Disease like hiatal hernia, pregnancy, diabetes, rapid weight gain make the upper part of the stomach protrudes up above the diaphragm.This diaphragm acts as an additional barrier keeping the acid from backing up into the esophagus.
A hiatal hernia helps the acid to back up.It can be caused by persistent coughing,vomiting,straining, or sudden physical exertion.Beneath these factors obesity and pregnancy can badly damage the reflux.At people older than 50 year hiatal hernia is common.Usualy hiatal hernia doesn't need treatment, but in case when the hernia is twisted surgery may be required.
The most common symptom of GERD is a persistent heartburn.The burning pain can be localized in the center of the chest, just behind the breastbone.In most cases the pain becomes in the upper abdomen and goes up to the neck.The duration of a pain is about two hours.The heartburn is worse after eating.Sometimes lying down may harm worse.Heartburn can be associated with the acid indigestion, but it is not necessary that everyone with GERD to get heartburn.GERD includes other symptoms like: regurgitation of bitter acid up into the throat while sleeping or bending over,bitter taste in the mouth,persistent dry cough,feeling of tightness in the throat if a piece of food is stack there, wheezing.For children the most common symptoms are vomiting, coughing and respiratory problems.
So we must pay attention to what we eat and to keep ourselves away from a disastrous lifestyle for avoiding such kind of problems.
The body has an armory of ways to prevent acid reflux disease but if any of these are prevented from occurring the body has very few mechanisms left to alleviate the suffering that is associated with the chronic disease. Most reflux occurs during the daytime, but during the day the top halves of our body are upright meaning that the reflux automatically flows back down to the stomach and any problems are prevented. While we are awake we regularly swallow and this action services to carry an reflux back down to where it belongs. We swallow whether there is reflux present or not. The mouth constantly creates saliva that contains chemicals that neutralize the effects of reflux and acid on our bodies. These three methods are the most effective defense we have against acid reflux disease but sometimes they don't work properly or simply aren't doing enough to prevent the onslaught of acid reflux.
Biopsies can be used to search for the existence of cancer. They can not be used to look for evidence of acid reflux disease but alternative causes of symptoms may be found.
Esophageal acid testing is probably the most accurate way to test for acid reflux disease but is the most obtrusive as well. A tube is placed through the nose and into the esophagus where it remains for 24 hours. This tube has a sensor on the end and measures the amount of reflux generated over 24 hours.
An endoscopy is another way of diagnosing acid reflux disease. A tube is swallowed so that doctors can see exactly what is going on inside your body. However, a esophagus of a patient suffering from the disease ordinarily looks quite normal so this method of diagnosis will only directly work for those patients whose esophagus has been damaged by their acid reflux disease. However, if an ulcer or other ailment that can cause similar problems is spotted then it may be possible to discount acid reflux disease.
Heartburn is by far the most common symptom of acid reflux disease and if a doctor suspects your heartburn is cause by acid reflux disease he or she will prescribe you with a medicine that stops the production of acid in your stomach. If it stops then it is assumed that you do indeed have acid reflux disease. This approach of diagnosis can be unreliable.
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