Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and The Part Played by The Lower Esophageal Sphincter

The acid when it refluxes back into the esophagus can irritate and in some cases actually damage the esophagus lining.


The esophagus is the actual tube which joins the throat to the stomach.
This muscle opens and closes and when functioning correctly should prevent the gastroesophageal reflux disease from occurring.
However, there are a number of reason why this Lower Esophageal Sphincter does not work correctly.
Another cause is due to abnormal movements or known as transient LES and this does not follow any pattern and can happen at any time.


Another failure of the LES which results in gastroesophageal reflux disease is where it does not actually tighten which allows the acid to freely go back into the esophagus.
It can also be caused by foods that are high in oil, also drinking caffeine and alcoholic drinks as well as acidic foods.
gastroesophageal reflux