Acid Cause Reflux-The connection with acid reflux and the LES.

By Raymond Harper

Main cause of acid reflux

Almost everyone has had acid reflux or heartburn at some point. And one of the questions a lot of people ask is why does acid cause reflux? And the answer is that it is not the acid that is the cause of the reflux but that acid is the cause of the pain we get from heartburn after reflux has occurred.

The main cause of acid reflux is a defective valve called the lower esophageal sphincter or LES for short. By understanding more about the esophagus and the LES may help people to make better decisions on how to control their own acid reflux.

The esophagus is the linking passage between the throat and the stomach; it is a muscular tube that passes food from the mouth to the stomach.  The inner lining of the esophagus is called the mucosa; the surface is smooth and covered with cells called epithelial cells. The outer layer is called muscularis extrema and consists of strong muscle.

How does the esophagus workand why does acid cause reflux?

Food is passed from the mouth through the esophagus and into the stomach by a process called peristalsis. This is a rhythmic contraction of the muscles of the esophagus which propels its contents into the stomach. These contractions propel the food in only one direction and the muscles contract behind any chewed material to prevent the food moving back towards the mouth.

Where the esophagus joins the stomach is called the Cardia. At this juncture there is a strong band of muscle that acts as a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter or LES for short. When food reaches the LES the muscles of the LES will open for a short time allowing the food to pass to the stomach. Once the food has passed into the stomach it contracts and closing off the passage to the stomach preventing the food and any stomach acid from returning into the esophagus.

You may well ask how does acid cause reflux? If you suffer from heartburn it is because some of the stomach contents you have eaten or drunk have passed back into the esophagus and because they are now mixed with powerful stomach acid they burn the lining of the esophagus. The stomach is designed to handle the hydrochloric acid that it produces but the esophagus is not made of the same material and will burn when exposed to the acid. When you have heartburn it is not a serious issue if it happens infrequently. But when heartburn strikes more than a couple of times per week it is more likely to have be acid reflux disease which is a very debilitating disease. If left unattended the esophagus will become scarred or ulcerated due to the burning and it can even lead to cancer of the esophagus.

The LES

The LES normally opens when it receives signals to allow food to pass then closes tightly shut to stop any acid reflux. Some times the pressure excreted by the LES decreases or relaxes and if you have gas in the stomach the pressure of this is sometimes great enough to force the valve open and allow acid to reflux into the esophagus. This relaxation of the LES is called transient LES relaxations, and the frequency of them varies from person to person. For someone with acid reflux disease (GERD) these relaxations often happen a lot more frequently than in someone who does not suffer from the disease, although no one really knows why this happens.

There is another way that makes acid cause reflux.There are certain conditions that can effect the relaxation of the LES one is pregnancy. In pregnancy heartburn is more prevalent because it is thought that a change in the hormones relaxes muscles of the LES while a growing fetus increases pressure in the abdomen. Certain foods will also cause the muscle to relax, as does alcohol and smoking.

Another problem is abnormally weak contractions of the LES which reduces its ability to prevent reflux. When the LES is too relaxed it allows stomach acid to creep back into the esophagus.

Hiatal hernias also contribute to GERD because they can prevent the valve from closing properly or can weaken the valve contractions.

Another cause is if the esophageal contractions (peristalsis) are weak or defective and any acid reflux is not pushed back into the stomach. This may happen if the waves of contractions from peristalsis do not happen when we swallow or the waves die out before the contents of the esophagus are pushed into the stomach.

One more thing that can put pressure on the LES is slow emptying of the stomach. If the stomach empties abnormally slowly the distension of the stomach after meals is prolonged therefore the chance of acid reflux happening is also more likely.

What you can do to avoid heartburn.

As you can see the simple opening and closing of the LES can lead to large problems so we need it to operate correctly to stay in good health. Does your acid cause reflux? Your eating habits are one of the things you can change to prevent severe GERD symptoms happening to you. Try eating smaller meals to alleviate pressure on the stomach. Chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly to aid digestion. And try eating the correct foods. Learn which foods are needed to make good acid reflux diets. Make a note of what you are doing to bring on that first acid reflux symptom and try to avoid it. Do not lie down straight after a meal. Do not wear clothing that is too tight and do not eat 2 hours before going to bed.

A lot of little lifestyle changes may add up to a big change in your life if you suffer from acid reflux.