the esophagus is about 20-25 cm long channel that connects the mouth to the stomach.
Its inner lining is composed of a squalors epithelium with flat cells, layered like tiles, which help protect the esophagus by the passage of food and food can reflux from the stomach.
Outside the esophagus is formed of a muscle layer which is contracted and released rhythmically, giving rise to the movements of peristalsis. Peristalsis facilitates the flow of food into the stomach.
The beginning and end of the stomach there are two valves or sphincters, which are released only when it has to pass the bolus. If the bottom valve is released when it should not you can have gastro esophageal reflux, or a rise of acid or other material in the last part of the esophagus.
More intense reflux can be helped by the abundance of gastric secretion, either from taking certain positions (lying down or bending forward). The secretions can then go back to the upper part of the esophagus or even in my throat, giving a feeling of heartburn and acid.
Acid secretions can also be inhaled into the structures tract (larynx, bronchi), giving rise to extra-esophageal manifestations of reflux (cough, asthma).
When can we speak of sickness?
A small proportion of reflux, especially gas, occurs under normal conditions (belching), especially after meals. Healthy individuals have an average of 1 to 4 episodes per hour during the 3 hours after the meal. Reflux lasts a few seconds, no more than 30.
When the phenomenon becomes more frequent and is associated with symptoms can talk about the disease.
Initially, the problem is controllable with diet and hygiene standards. Without these standards the valve that separates the stomach dall’esofago (lower sphincter) becomes less effective and the disease stabilizes and serious. In this case we can produce erosive lesions or ulcers in the esophagus against the walls and any complications: upholstery fabric, for defense, to be thin can become thick and rough, up to resemble that of the bowel (intestinal metaphase giving) .
Intestinal metaphase must be controlled properly because it can be the first step toward cancer (adenocarcinoma). To prevent such deterioration is treatment with drugs that reduce gastric secretion (proton pump inhibitors). The use of surgical therapy un’evenienza is now much less frequent than before thanks to the effectiveness of such drugs.
Tags: Acid Reflux, Gastroesophageal reflux, GERD, Heartburn, Stomach, Symptoms, Treatment,
