Acid reflux occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring of muscle that separates your stomach and your esophagus, fails to close properly after food intake, causing stomach acid and sometimes partially digested food to travel back up into your esophagus. This regurgitation is often accompanied by a sour taste in your mouth, a burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), and sometimes even difficulty swallowing.
Unraveling the Mysteries: What Causes Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux springs from your stomach. It is a condition where the stomach's content, loaded with acid, flows back or refluxes into the esophagus, the tube that transports food from your mouth to your stomach. Normally the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES), a muscle located right where your stomach meets your esophagus, acts as a gate, allowing food to pass into the stomach and blocking it from flowing back up. However, when the LES doesn't close all the way or if it opens too often, stomach acid can make its way up the esophagus, causing acid reflux.
A host of factors contribute to the weakening of the LES or increase in stomach acid, causing acid reflux. These factors range from physiological causes like hiatal hernias, pregnancy, and certain medications, to lifestyle choices such as diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical inactivity. For example, eating meals that are large or high in fat, smoking, and consuming alcohol can stimulate the production of stomach acid, weaken the LES and subsequently lead to acid reflux. Understanding these causes can help you avoid the triggers and manage your acid reflux better.
The Role of Stress in Triggering Acid Reflux
Stress plays a significant role in worsening the symptoms of acid reflux. When you're under a lot of pressure, whether it's due to your work, personal situations or even a hectic daily schedule, your body instinctively enters the 'fight or flight' mode. This physiological response produces numerous changes in the body, one of which is an increase in the production of stomach acid. An excess of stomach acid can travel up into your esophagus, which then manifests as heartburn or acid reflux.
It's important to mention that stress is not necessarily a 'cause' of acid reflux, rather, it exacerbates the condition. If you already have factors making you prone to acid reflux, such as obesity or a high-fat diet, stress can trigger or increase the frequency of episodes. There's a bidirectional relationship between stress and acid reflux too - not only can stress trigger acid reflux, but frequent episodes of acid reflux can in turn cause stress, creating a vicious cycle that's tough to break. Therefore, managing your stress levels is a crucial part of managing acid reflux symptoms.
Is it Heartburn or Acid Reflux? Distinguishing the Differences
It's critically important to define what we're talking about before delving further into acid reflux and heartburn. Although many people use these two terms interchangeably, they are not synonyms. Acid reflux deals with the backward flow of stomach acid into the esophagus, often causing symptoms of heartburn. But, heartburn is merely a symptom and not the problem itself.
So, what's the difference then? You may experience heartburn when acid reflux happens. This means that you feel a burning sensation in your chest, usually after eating, which might worsen at night. On the other hand, acid reflux is the act of the stomach acid reversing course, making its way up to the esophagus. This can lead to several symptoms, heartburn being the most common among them. However, a person can have problems with acid reflux without experiencing heartburn. That's why understanding the difference can help you manage these conditions better.
