Feel the Burn with Acid Reflux

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), or more commonly known as acid reflux disease, affects millions of adolescents and adults worldwide. The effect of the disease can be debilitating and down right painful. The main organ affected by this disease is the esophagus, or food pipe. From top to bottom, the esophagus is lined with muscles in order to push food into the stomach. It is how food travels from the mouth to the stomach. However, it is the acid that is regurgitated up from the stomach which significantly irritates and inflames the esophagus, causing a painful burning sensation starting from the stomach all the way up to the throat. The term "heartburn" was used to describe the burning sensation because the esophagus lies right behind the heart.

After ingesting food or liquid, the stomach begins to produce hydrochloric acid to aid the digestive process and help break-down solid food particles. The hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach is extremely powerful and potentially harmful. However, in order to prevent the acid from eating away the stomach, the cells that make up the inner lining of the stomach secrete vast amounts of protective mucus. Unfortunately, the esophagus does not share the same protective mechanism, which is why stomach acid is harmful to the esophagus. The esophagus, however, has its own defense mechanism to fight against reflux, or the backing up of acid. At the bottom of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring of muscle prevents reflux by opening to allow food to enter the stomach and closing to prevent regurgitation. As you swallow, the sphincter relaxes to allow food to pass and tightens to stop any regurgitation. When someone experiences GERD, the lower esophageal sphincter does not operate properly. The sphincter actually relaxes when you're NOT swallowing, letting partially digested food and stomach acid to flow back up the esophagus causing damage to its inner lining.

When GERD affect nearly one third of all adult American population, what can be done to prevent or treat the disease? People who suffer from GERD can relieve their symptoms by a simple change in habit or lifestyle. The next couple of tips can help significantly reduce acid reflux.

The first tip is if you smoke, stop smoking! Smoking increases acid reflux by weakening the lower esophageal sphincter. Smoking also damages the throat, esophagus, lungs and other organs in the body. If you suffer from mild or severe heartburn, avoid citrus and tomato based foods; fatty, greasy and spicy foods aid in the production of stomach acid. Also avoid eating large portions. Eating a lot of food in one sitting increases the need for more acid production to digest the food. The more acid, the worse the esophagus will be affected. Eat smaller portions frequently throughout the day. Maintaining good posture and sitting up straight helps food easily pass through to the stomach instead of back up to the esophagus, let gravity do the work. Although these changes are simple, taking steps towards a different lifestyle can be difficult for some people. Talk to you primary health care physician if you suffer from severe or chronic reflux disease.