The word “acid reflux” has its origins in the Latin language. “Reflux” stems from the Latin word refluere that means “to recede”. Therefore acid reflux means that the acids from your stomach recede into your gullet unleashing pain and a burning feeling known as heartburn. Another word for heartburn is the term gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
How acid reflux differs from heartburn
Acid reflux is the reason for the feeling of heartburn. Acid reflux describes the actual receding of the stomach acid while heartburn is the pain caused by the reflux.
Acid reflux symptoms
- Dysphagia – it’s more difficult to swallow
- Heartburn – burning feeling noticed in the chest or in the neck
- Asthma – stomach acids flowing into the throat and the lung air passages causing asthma
- Huskiness
- Chest pain
- Dental erosion – the acids can lead to etched enamel
- Regurgitation
Acid reflux causes
The reason for acid reflux is that the lower esophageal sphincter due to not working properly causes gastric acid to flow into the gullet. Although it’s known that the esophageal sphincter causes acid reflux it’s not known why this happens.
How acid reflux can be caused
- Eating habits – Large meals often lead to acid reflux. Cutting down your meals or splitting your meals into smaller meals often helps. Also keep track of what you eat and find out which food cause a reaction. Avoid these foods in the future and you’ll see a decrease in symptoms.
- Hiatal hernia – Hiatal hernia means that by bypassing a small opening in the thoracic diaphragm parts of the stomach protrude into the chest.
- Bending forward – Bending forward alone doesn’t cause acid reflux but it often aggravates reflux. By bending forward you put your stomach into a disadvantageous position that increases the risk of reflux.
- Asthma – It’s not known if asthma causes acid reflux or the other way round. Until today there’s no clear answer to that question. There’s the opinion that the symptoms of asthma like coughing and sneezing. Others say that asthma medications could lead to reflux.
It’s reported that many people say that their asthma gets worse by acid reflux. The oozing of acid into the gullet results in bronchial narrowing but also breathing problems.
- Alcohol – Alcohol can affect the relaxation of the esophageal sphincter which allows the acid to flow back into the gullet. Additionally alcohol tends to increased gastric acid production.
- Pregnancy – The growing of the baby leads to a higher pressure on the stomach, often resulting in gastric content flowing back into the gullet. This can often be avoided by changing dietary habits towards eating more but smaller meals. Acid reflux and its symptoms normally vanish after the birth.
- Smoking – Smoking dries the mouth and decreases the production of saliva. Saliva contains bicarbonates which help to restrict the production of acid. The amount of bicarbonates gets reduced by smoking. Smoking also leads to injuries in the esophagus tissue making it easier for the acid to damage the gullet. Additionally smoking relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter resulting in acid reflux as stated before.
Dr. Dwight McCoy