Esophageal Reflux Treatment

Esophageal (Oesophageal) reflux is another term for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), better known as disease. This irritating and sometimes extremely painful condition is caused when gastric contents of the stomach are regurgitated into the esophagus, due to structural weakness or other factors.

Obviously, the lining of the esophagus is not meant to handle the caustic nature of stomach acid, so it quickly reacts to the acidic intrusion by producing symptoms ranging from mild heartburn to extreme burning or even what is frequently described as "ripping" sensations of pain.

Some of the major causes of esophageal reflux are dietary. There are many foods that have a tendency to trigger esophageal reflux. Dairy products and choclate are among some of the most common culprits. Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, onions, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and broccoli are also known triggers.

Everyone knows and most have experienced that very spicy foods or anything high in fat can also cause heartburn, though if you don't usually eat these kinds of food these are more likely to be contributing factors. Spicy food in Thailand doesn't seem to cause the locals much suffering!

But you should try reducing the intake of these types of food to see if it helps. The other thing you can do is change when you eat them: many people can eat some of these foods early in the day, but have trouble with increased acid production when they're eaten closer to bed time.

You should not forget, however, that there are also other purely structural physical factors that may play a part in your esophageal reflux condition, such as hiatus hernia, hypercalcemia or Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. These last named two diseases cause an increased production of gastrin, which leads to increased acidity in the stomach.

With hiatus hernia cases, esophageal reflux is caused or exacerbated by motility and mechanical factors, i.e. the sphincter muscle that normally holds back the gastric acid doesn't work properly. The structural abnormalities allow gastric contents to spill out of the stomach and irritate the esophagus.

There may well be other factors that contribute to esophageal reflux, but the fact is that modifying eating habits can have a positive effect on your struggle with heartburn and even the underlying issues related to disease.

Many people have had success alleviating their by taking note of what they eat. I myself have had success with this approach. Over time you begin to notice patterns to your heartburn and the foods that were eaten and when and how you ate them. Not all people are able to get rid of heartburn once and for all, yet most people can gain a significant amelioration in their condition. When I stopped eating in a reclining position late at night and put some extra pillows on my bed to sleep, I experienced a big improvement. The best way to find out if it will work for you is to give it a try.