Through the esophagus the food travels into the stomach.The food can be digested by cells or other chemicals which are situated in the lining of the stomach.The same cells produce the mucus which protects the stomach from the acid.The little protection from the acid is due to the cells situated at the lining of the esophagus.

At the junction between esophagus and stomach there can be found a circular band of muscle called sphincter.Normaly the sphincter relaxes to allow the food transport and stops food and acid refluxing into the esophagus.So the sphincter plays the role of a valve.Acid reflux appears when the acid refluxes into esophagus.

The inflammation of the lining of the esophagus is named esophagitis, which are the irritation of the lining of the esophagus.An amount of acid can deal with the lining of the esophagus.The sensitivity of the acid depends from case to case or from person to person.That's way some people present symptoms with a small amount of reflux and some have a lot of reflux without developing esophagitis.

The main symptom of the acid reflux is the heartburn which generates a burning feeling given from the part of the upper abdomen or lower chest up towards the neck.It is wrong to associated the term of heartburn with the heart.There are other usual symptoms like: pain in the upper abdomen and chest,feeling sick, an acid test in the mouth, bloating, belching and a burning pain when a hot drink is swallow.

Other unusual symptoms may appear.From this point of view a concrete diagnosis is hard to tell.For example a persistent cough, especially at night, due to the reflux acid irritated the windpipe.Asthma symptoms can sometimes be due to acid reflux.Amistake can be made by given a wrong diagnosis, confusing a severe chest pain with the heart attack.

Normally the sphincter prevents acid reflux but there is a problem when the sphincter does not work very well.The pressure in the stomach rises higher than the sphincter can support.For example during pregnancy, after a large meal or when bending forward.The people with hiatus hernia are predisposed to acid reflux.

Perhaps after a large meal a heartburn may appear to most people.About 1 in 3 adults have heartburn at least once a day.In some cases the pain passes easy or in other it can last more.It isn't a rule for the symptoms to be frequent or severe to affect life.The heartburn is common in smokers,pregnant women,heavy drinkers,the overweight and those aged between 35 and 64.

If a person presents symptoms of acid reflux can be cured by a specific treatment.If the symptoms are severe tests are recommended.From these tests the most common is the one made by the endoscopy which involves a thin flexible telescope passed down the esophagus into the stomach.This permits a doctor or a nurse to look inside.The lower part of the esophagus appears red and inflamed.

There are some people sensitive to small pieces of acid and present symptoms with little or no inflammation to see.To observe the acidity inside the esophagus and for a correct diagnosis a test can be done.If the symptoms are not typical other test like heart tracings, chest x-ray may be done.To observe if a person has or has not acid reflux test are necessary.