The Cause Of Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux disease is caused by acid from the stomach continuously being forced, or splashed back up into the esophagus tube. This reflux acid causes irritation.

If we can visualize the stomach as jelly bean shape or J shape with a 10" tube attached to the top. At the lower end of this tube is a ring of tissue or smooth muscle called a esophageal sphincter (LES). At the lower end of the stomach is another sphincter muscle valve.

Acid reflux disease has to do with this sphincter muscle between the lower esophagus and upper stomach. How it opens and close, and the strength or weakness of this valve is involved. The normal position of this valve is closed position. This is to keep stomach acid, food, and drink from being regurgitated back up into the esophageal tube.

The whole digestive system begins at the mouth and ends at the anus. When food is swallowed and enters into the esophagus, it takes only a few seconds for the food to be moved down into the stomach. There are smooth muscles all along the esophagus that quickly moves the food down. The one way valve at the bottom automatically opens to allow the food into the stomach. This valve is to instantly open and close tight behind the exodus of food.

There are certain foods, situations, and stresses that can cause this valve to weaken to allow a back splash of stomach acid, food, and drink to be forced back up into the esophagus tube.

Peoples esophageal sphincter valve will relax at different times to allow a small amount of acid reflux or splash into the esophagus. This is called a physiologic reflux. Most people and children do not have this problem.

For some people, this sphincter valve is weak – it either does not contract properly, or may relax too long or too frequently. Acid reflux disease occurs when the esophageal sphincter valve either does not close at all or relaxes to often.

It is possible that the acid can be thrown so high with such force, that it ends up in your throat, vocal cords and breathed down into your bronchial tubes, causing loss of voice or hoarseness and asthma.

Many things can cause the acid to be forced back up and out of the stomach. Different foods and medications can relax the LES valve, such as hard coughing, bending over, being overweight, lying down after eating or drinking, smoking, tight clothing like belts and girdles and vigorous exercise of different kinds.

When overweight, this fat around the midsection can also cause acid reflux disease. This is because the excess fat that you carry puts pressure on the inner organs. All the organs are effected because of the restrictions of space, including your stomach.

Once you know the things that cause or contributes to acid reflux disease, then you can take steps to ease and heal the problem. By educating yourself, eliminating the causative factor from your lives, using natural healing methods such as probiotics, correct eating, internal cleansing, and taking control of your stresses then you will begin to turn your acid reflux disease around.