Acidity, heartburn, acid reflux, GERD awareness- By Dr Vishal Khurana (Senior Gastroenterologist, Faridabad)
WHATS IS ACID REFLUX AND GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE (GERD)? Gastroesophageal reflux, also called "acid reflux" occurs when the stomach contents back up into the esophagus and/or mouth. Occasional reflux is normal and can happen in healthy infants, children, and adults, most often after eating a meal. Most episodes are brief and do not cause bothersome symptoms or complications. In contrast, people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) experience bothersome symptoms or damage to the esophagus as a result of acid reflux. HOW DOES IT OCCURS? When you eat, food is carried from your mouth to your stomach through the esophagus, a tube-like structure. At the lower end of the esophagus, where it connects to the stomach, there is a circular ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). After you swallow, the LES relaxes or open to allow food to enter your stomach, where it mixes with acids that help with digestion. The LES then contract...