Acid reflux, also known as GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease), is an annoying and sometimes painful condition that occurs when acid and the other contents in the stomach back up into your esophagus. The esophagus is the muscular tube that leads from your throat to your stomach.
GERD occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is located between the esophagus and stomach, is weakened or opens inappropriately. This allows acid and other stomach contents back into the esophagus, causing irritation.
Most times during acid reflux, the contents of your stomach remain in the lower part of the esophagus, where they can cause heartburn and nausea. Over time, this will cause damage to the esophagus. The damage can lead to esophageal cancer or Barrett’s esophagus.
Many people mistake acid reflux and heartburn. Acid reflux is the action, while heartburn is the sensation. The pain is heartburn, while the movement of acid into the esophagus from the stomach is acid reflux.
What Causes Acid Reflux
So what causes acid reflux? Acid from your stomach rises up into your esophagus, causing irritation. This leads to pain and discomfort in the chest area. Your stomach has an inner lining that protects it from the acid in your stomach. Your esophagus does not have a lining, so when acid flows up into your esophagus, there is no to protect you from the pain.
There are many different things that can cause acid reflux, and pin pointing the exact cause for someone who is suffering can be difficult. The common causes of acid reflux are eating large meals and laying down and being overweight. Certain foods can also be what causes acid reflux. Caffeine, fatty foods, spicy foods, and alcohol can all lead to acid reflux.
Here are some more causes of acid reflux.
Symptoms of Acid Reflux
More than 60 million people experience at least one acid reflux symptom a month. These symptoms are a sign of that your stomach acid has made its way into your esophagus and caused irritation.
Most of the time, people experience the symptoms of acid reflux at night. This is mostly because people drink alcohol at night, and because dinner is usually a person’s biggest meal of the day.
The most common symptom of acid reflux is heartburn, nausea, and dyspepsia, which is just another way of saying stomach discomfort. Here are some more symptoms of acid reflux.
Remedies for Acid Reflux
There are two ways to treat an acid reflux disease – natural remedies and home remedies.