Acid Reflux: How Can a Singapore Chiropractor Help?

Causes of Acid Reflux

There is a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) present between our stomach and esophagus that keeps the content of the stomach from moving back. It is a ring of circular muscles that opens when we swallow food to let it pass and then it closes again.

Gastric reflux or gastroesophageal reflux, common terms for acid reflux, occurs when LES becomes weak and doesn’t function properly. This allows the acid and stomach contents to flow back into the esophagus.

Things like lying down immediately after having food and eating large meals result in the relaxation of LES. But when you have GERD, your lower esophageal sphincter often relaxes.

Here are some of the acid reflux reasons:

1. Pregnancy

As the pregnancy progresses, the growing uterus puts pressure on the abdomen that forces stomach contents back into the esophagus. Furthermore, pregnancy induces a series of hormonal changes that promote the relaxation of muscles, including LES, thus contributing to temporary acid reflux.

2. Obesity

Obesity also increases pressure and volume in the abdomen, causing stomach contents to move backwards. As it stays longer compared to pregnancy, it permanently weakens LES.

3. Hiatal Hernia

Hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of your stomach protrudes into the chest cavity through a hole in the diaphragm. This, in turn, affects the LES function.

4. Smoking

Research shows that smoking can cause GERD by lowering the pressure of the lower esophagus sphincter. This results in improper closing of LES, allowing the acid to flow back into the esophagus.

Furthermore, it causes your stomach to produce more acids and trigger coughing which further relaxes LES.

5. Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol can cause acid reflux or GERD through several mechanisms. It slows down the ability of your esophagus to move food down the stomach. This leads to slower clearance of acid from the esophagus.

Additionally, it increases the formation of acid in your stomach and directly damages the lining of the mucosa. It also weakens the muscles of your LES, thus contributing to GERD.

6. Medications

Certain drugs irritate the esophagus and interfere with the working of LES. Examples of these drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen, antidepressants, theophylline, etc.

7. Connective Tissue Disorders

Connective tissue diseases, such as scleroderma, can affect the function of LES and oesophagus motility, thus contributing to gastric reflux.

8. Food items

Certain food items and beverages, such as fatty or fried meals, chocolates, spicy food and coffee, can trigger acid reflux by irritating your esophagus or relaxing LES.

Acid Reflux Symptoms

The acid gas reflux symptoms include:

• Heartburn, which feels like a burning sensation in the chest that occurs after eating and might get worse when lying down. It is different from cardiac pain, which feels like pressure or squeezing in the left side of your chest that may extend to the neck, jaw and shoulder.
• Regurgitation, a sensation that acid or food is backwashing from the stomach to your throat. It causes a bitter or sour taste.
• Chronic coughing
• Bad breath
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Asthma
• Laryngitis, inflammation of the vocal cords
• A sensation of a lump in your throat
• Chest or upper abdominal pain
• Hoarse voice

In some cases, patients experience alarming symptoms. If you experience these symptoms, immediately seek medical attention:

• Dysphagia, difficulty in swallowing food
• Odynophagia, feeling pain when swallowing
• Persistent nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss
• Anemia
• Bloody stools or vomiting