Disease (GERD)
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- What is GERD?
- Symptoms of GERD
- Causes of GERD
- Prevention of GERD
- Risk factors for GERD
- Complications of GERD
- When to see a doctor about GERD
- Diagnosis of GERD
- Conventional treatment of GERD
- Alternative/complementary treatment of GERD
- Living with GERD
- Caring for someone with GERD
Causes of gastro-eosophageal reflux disease (GERD)
There is no consensus on the cause of gastro-eosophageal reflux disease (GERD), but there are two main theories:
Ineffective lower eosophageal sphincter
When the lower eosophageal sphincter (LOS) does not close properly as it should, this can allow some of the contents of the stomach to escape up and out into the eosophagus and this causes the symptoms associated with this disorder.
There can be increased pressure on the whole eosophagus and subsequently the lower eosophageal sphincter (LOS), which ultimately causes the LOS to be unable to sustain the pressure and it opens up and some of the contents of the stomach to escape up and out into the eosophagus and this causes the symptoms associated with this disorder.
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Poor gastric digestion
If food is not broken down and digested properly in the stomach, it can start to ferment while it just sits there and this can produce more gas. The gas causes pressure to be built up in the stomach, which may be sufficient to open the lower eosophageal sphincter (LOS) to expose some of the contents of the stomach to the eosophagus. The stomach contents (partially digested foods and stomach juices) are quite acidic, which can cause irritation to the lining of the eosophagus, which is not supposed to be exposed to the stomach's content. Depending on the pressure of the stomach, its contents can go up the length of the eosophagus and into the throat or even lungs.
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