Gastroesophageal reflux or heartburn, also commonly known as heartburn is a problem that few people are saved, since most suffer at least once during life and all ages, as it is very frequent also in infants.
It consists of the involuntary return and frequent food and acid content into the esophagus and causes pain, burning, malaise and repeatedly chest pain that spreads to the neck throat and sometimes even in the face.
This problem is caused by various causes, among which are:
- Inadequate function of the esophagus in the part that connects to the stomach.
- In the presence of a hiatal hernia, i.e. a part stomach enters the esophagus above the diaphragm.
- It is also caused by the increased volume of gastric contents due to overfeeding in quantity.
- By eating certain foods, irritating, greasy or spicy.
- For the delayed passage of stomach contents into the intestine.
- For increased production of gastric juice (hydrochloric acid).
- The presence of gastric ulcers.
The most common cause is the weakening called cardiac sphincter which is located at the lower end of the esophagus that opens when food drops by the esophageal tube, allowing their entry into the stomach and closing to prevent the return of foods.
When the sphincter has lost muscle tone and stays open, acid flows back, up the esophagus, causing a painful sensation of heartburn that on reaching the mouth is perceived as an unpleasant sour taste.
Usually heartburn or heartburn occurs after taking some food, because there is increased secretion of gastric juices and stomach contents pressure. This problem is greater if you lie once, since the position difficult emptying of the stomach and the passage of food into the intestine.
Tags: Acid, Food, Gastric juices, Gastroesophageal reflux, Heartburn, Stomach
