Know The Causes Of Reflux

Reflux is caused by stomach pressure. In other words when the stomach's pressure is increased the LES valve located between the stomach and the esophagus is forced open allowing the stomach gases to escape into the esophagus and by reversed peristalsis ( a wavy squeezing motion) the gases are carried up the esophagus and dispelled through the mouth. We term this action as a burp or a belch!

Stomach pressure can be increased by eating a large meal, and is usually followed by a burp. The stomach pressure can also be increased by drinking a beverage that has been carbonated. The gaseous bubbles contribute to increased stomach pressure and a burp lowers the pressure in the stomach and esophagus. Everybody burps and these are normal functions of the human body.

However many people experience reflux  from other conditions that cause the pressure in the stomach to increase, and this increase in stomach pressure forces the LES valve open,  and allows the acidic stomach gases to enter the esophagus.

When this happens you will experience tightness in the chest that may even radiate out to your back or left arm. This feeling can be quite scary for many people, until they burp, and the pressure is instantly reduced.

Are you with me so far? Good because you are about to learn other conditions that can cause reflux.

I realize that many people in the health community will tell you that "you have a faulty LES valve, that fails to close properly, or that it is a transient reaction that mysteriously happens sometimes and not at other times.

They may even tell you that you have GERD  and you have to take this magic pill for the rest of your life. A PPI pill (Proton Pump Inhibitor). A little pill that shuts off the acid production in your stomach that does what?  It lowers the stomach pressure so your LES (lower esophageal sphincter) valve isn't forced open as much and the result is you, experience less reflux. The truth is that we need the stomach acid to help digest our food so it is not a good idea to stop acid production.

What they also fail to mention is the magic pill stops your body from absorbing calcium from the foods you eat and as a result your body in order to function properly will leach the calcium from your bones and teeth. As a matter of fact a recent study in the UK has linked the magic pill to osteoporosis. (a disorder in which the bones become increasingly porous, brittle, and subject to fracture, because of the loss of calcium and other mineral components.)

The little magic pill also comes with a host of side effects and interactions with other meds that are not very pleasant either. You've heard them all before: upset stomach, nausea, cramps, diarrhoea, constipation and nobody even knows the long term effects of putting these chemicals in our bodies.