Explaining Main Causes of Your GERD

Everyone knows, occasionally, symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is a common condition in the vast majority of cases. GERD is characterized by the passage of a portion of the stomach contents into the esophagus, the reverse of what happens in the digestive process.

This decline is related to a weak sphincter of the lower esophagus that is normally as a non-return valve. The contents of the Stomach Acid and ski cause a burning sensation in the esophagus, sometimes to the pharynx. In 40% of cases, the reflux occurs at night or when the patient bends: the stomach contents can then go into the mouth, causing discomfort and insomnia. So, what are the main 5 possible causes that led you to deal with such disease?

Overeating and Eating Quickly

The stomach does not have the ability to stretch too much. This means that when you eat excessive amounts of food, the pressure exerted by the food in the stomach increases and promotes reflux.

When you eat too quickly, the stomach does not have time to digest each bite fast enough to send it to the duodenum before the arrival of the next bite. Result: food accumulate in the stomach. There is therefore a risk that the overflow of food mixed with gastric juices back up the esophagus.

Some foods and beverages are digested more slowly. They stagnate in the stomach longer. Hence the risk of gastroesophageal reflux increased. Food and drinks are implicated:

Fatty foods.
Spicy dishes.
Chocolate.
Coffee and other beverages containing caffeine.

Note that the fermented liquor (beer, wine, cider) also increases the production of Stomach Acid. Also, soft drinks are also likely to cause reflux. They indeed contain air bubbles that take up space in the stomach and increase the pressure there.

Obesity and Overweight

Obesity is a cause of gastro-oesophageal reflux. Indeed, the abdominal fat surrounding the stomach pushes the latter upward, favoring GERD. Obesity may also cause a Hiatal Hernia.

Hiatal Hernia is a stomach portion that passes through the diaphragm upwards, ending up in the chest. Normally, only the esophagus passes through a small hole in the diaphragm for this purpose: the hiatus. As for the stomach, it stays in place below the diaphragm in the abdominal cavity. In case of hiatal hernia, the stomach contents back much easier esophagus and may cause Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Hiatal hernia, however, does not always accompany GERD.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs

There is no doubt that heavy alcohol use appears to increase your risk for acid reflux, its association with the long-term complications of acid reflux is less clear. Some drugs have the particularity to promote Gastroesophageal Reflux. This is particularly the case of birth control pills containing progesterone, a hormone that also causes reflux during pregnancy.

Nicotine in the tobacco causes the release of the lower esophageal sphincter, thereby facilitating gastric reflux. In addition, by reducing the production of saliva, it decreases the ability of the esophagus to eliminate acid reflux. Result: the duration of exposure of the esophagus to gastric juices is longer.

Sleeping and Bloated Stomach

It has been demonstrated that the normal sleep promotes the occurrence of GERD due to the extended position and night changes in muscle tone and the acidity of the stomach. So, think about it, this condition is even worse, actually causes vital damage when you sleep after eating a big meal with bloated stomach and could be the main reason for you suffering from GERD.

The polysomnography sleep coupled with the measurement of esophageal pressure shows that GERD can cause a significant sleep fragmentation. So, the Bloated Stomach is so harmful, never eat within 3 hours of bedtime, this allows your stomach to empty acid production to decrease.

Pregnancy and Age

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common in pregnant women, especially during the third quarter. At this point in pregnancy, more than half of mothers suffer from GERD. So, Gastric Reflux is mainly due to two phenomena: Progesterone and pressure from the baby on the stomach.

The increased levels of this hormone at the time of pregnancy. However, progesterone has two actions that promote acid reflux:

It has a relaxing effect on the smooth muscle, which results in a relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (cardia).
it slows gastric emptying (evacuation of the food present in the stomach to the duodenum). This means that during a meal, food mixed with gastric juices accumulate in the stomach and back end.

At the end of pregnancy, the pressure exerted by the baby , leads to the fetus takeing more space and exerts an upward pressure on the stomach and this is what makes food get back so easily to the esophagus.

When it comes to age the risk of gastro-oesophageal reflux increases from 50 years. At issue: the loss of tone of the lower Esophageal Sphincter, the result of natural aging muscle tissue. That's when you start looking for GERD treatment that keeps symptoms away.

GERD Care