Acid Reflux: A Painful Condition

Nothing ruins a good night’s sleep quite like acid reflux.

Nothing ruins a good meal like acid reflux. Nothing ruins a relaxing evening like acid reflux. A painful, chronic condition, acid reflux is a condition that is noted for the changes it effects on the esophageal sphincter and stomach which causes a certain relaxation in the sphincter which allowed gastric acid to creep up the esophagus. This causes that horrible burning sensation known as heart burn and can be almost crippling. Because of the exacerbations of untreated acid reflux disease, there can be respiratory problems and even difficulties of the larynx.

Because of the regurgitation of the stomach contents and liquid digestion, the inside of the esophagus can become inflamed and cause damage to the lining of the esophageal tract. Because the esophagus usually contains acid and pepsin as well as bile, the esophagus can become injured. The stomach acid, however, is the primary cause of most situations where the esophagus becoming injured.

What Causes Acid Reflux?

In most cases, acid reflux is cause by a stomach abnormality known as hiatal hernia which may occur in anyone regardless of age. The hiatal hernia occurs in the stomach, usually above the diaphragm when the muscle wall that separating the stomach and esophagus becomes relaxed. Usually this muscle is constricted, only opening to allow food to pass through. However as the esophagus relaxes food and gastric acid is allowed to flow back up into the esophagus.

There are other cause to acid reflux, however, and they are not always a result of a hiatal hernia. Those can be lifestyle, diet, even pregnancy. Those risk factors are:

Smoking: According to research, smoking has been found to affect acid reflux in that it contributes in a manner of different ways. Smoking reduces the effectiveness of the salivary glands which is created to neutralize the gastric acid, reduces muscle function of the esophageal sphincter, damages the mucus membranes, increases the amount of acid that is secreted, and impairs the throat from relaxing helping stave off the gastric acid. In conjunction with heavy alcohol use this can lead to esophageal cancer.

Pregnancy: Most women will experience acid reflux to a greater or lesser extent during pregnancy as a sharp increase in hormones as well as pressure of the growing fetus will loosen the esophageal sphincter especially during the third trimester of the pregnancy. However, these symptoms will go away after the birth.

Diet: If the patient is a heavy eater then eating meals with large portions may cause acid reflux or heartburn, especially when the patient goes to go lay down. This may also cause a chronic cough develop a problem with swallowing. Foods and drinks that may cause acid reflux include carbonated beverages like soda, alcohol, citrus fruits with high acidity such as oranges and lemons, chocolate, tea or coffee, dishes that are fried or have a high fat content, foods that contain tomato or tomato sauce such as spaghetti, onions and garlic, spicy foods such as curry or salsa, and products that contain mint.

Lifestyle: One of the most common causes of acid reflux, this can cause any number of reactions that may lead to heartburn or other painful symptoms. This includes being heavy or overweight, eating heavy meals and laying down to sleep, snacking close to bedtime or a nap, taking certain pain relievers that may relax the esophageal sphincter and the position in which the patient sleeps.