Acid Reflux Causes
Acid Reflux can be an extremely painful disease and discovering acid reflux causes is the first step in treating it. While it can often be difficult to pinpoint what is causing the painful symptoms of Acid Reflux, there are many things that can cause it or aggravate the condition itself.
Most people experience heartburn at some point in their lives and are able to overcome it. Experiencing heartburn is largely influenced by what the sufferer eats. Consuming large meals, foods that are high in fat and consuming foods that are high in acidic content can cause heartburn. However, those who suffer from heartburn several times per week are likely to have Acid Reflux Disease.
Examples of Acid Reflux Causes
The first step in examining Acid Reflux causes is to determine if the sufferer has any risk factors. Risk factors of developing the disease include obesity, smoking, consuming alcohol, eating patterns that include lying down immediately after meals or snacking before bedtime, pregnancy, respiratory diseases such as emphysema, hiatal hernia and frequent use of NSAIDs. If the sufferer has any of the risk factors that can cause heartburn, he or she should try to make lifestyle changes. For instance, if the sufferer is obese, he or she should try to lose weight. While if he or she suspects that the heartburn is caused by NSAIDs, the sufferer should try taking the medication with food.
Once any risk factors have been ruled out or if lifestyle changes have not worked, the sufferer should then look into other possible causes of their symptoms. Malfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter is one of the main causes of Acid Reflux disease. This malfunction occurs when the band of muscles that is responsible for opening and closing the lower end of the esophagus is not working properly. Since the muscle at the end of the esophagus do not open and close properly, they allow stomach acids to enter the esophagus and cause heart burn.
More Acid Reflux Causes
Impaired Stomach Function can also cause GERD. Stomach muscles that do not contract normally can delay the stomach from emptying. When emptying of the stomach is delayed, acid back up is more likely to occur.
In addition, Abnormalities in the Stomach such as Adult-Ringed Esophagus which is characterized by multiple rings in the esophagus that cause food to become stuck can be another cause of Acid Reflux Disease.
Lastly, Hiatal Hernia is another one of the common Acid Reflux causes. It is characterized as a small hole in the diaphragm and since the esophagus passes through it, it causes the stomach muscles to protrude into it. This is classified as one of the biggest Acid Reflux causes and occurs in over half of people over sixty years old.
Acid Reflux disease can be extremely painful and inconvenient. However, there are many medications on the market today such as antacids that can help ease acid reflux symptoms. Discovering Acid Reflux Causes is one of the first steps in taking control of the disease and feeling better.