Acid Reflux disease or (GERD) is a condition in which the stomach contents (food or liquid) leak backwards from the stomach into the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach). This action can irritate the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
When you eat, food passes from the throat to the stomach through the esophagus (also called the food pipe or swallowing tube). Once food is in the stomach, a ring of muscle fibers prevents food from moving backward into the esophagus. These muscle fibers are called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES.
If this sphincter muscle doesn't close well, food, liquid, and stomach acid can leak back into the esophagus. This is called acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux. This reflux may cause symptoms, or can even damage the esophagus.
The risk factors for reflux include hiatal hernia (a condition in which part of the stomach moves above the diaphragm as indicated in the image below).
Click Here
To learn More
