Many people have experienced the symptoms of "acid reflux and heartburn". Most people think that this is caused by improper diet and don't pay much attention to it. But when these symptoms appear frequently or are accompanied by other symptoms, it may be a symptom. This pathological phenomenon is clinically called "gastroesophageal reflux disease"
Gastroesophageal reflux can be caused by many reasons, such as: dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter; delayed gastric emptying; the esophagus itself. The peristaltic function is reduced and the reflux material cannot be cleared quickly; part of the stomach protrudes abnormally into the chest cavity, forming a hiatal hernia, and the natural anti-reflux barrier is damaged. Under the above circumstances, gastroesophageal reflux is prone to occur.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is caused by the reflux of stomach and duodenal contents into the esophagus, which can cause damage to the esophageal mucosal tissue. In severe cases, it can cause reflux esophagitis, esophageal ulcers, esophageal stenosis or even cancer. When reflux material enters the respiratory tract, it can also cause aspiration pneumonia, asthma and other diseases.
In addition to gastroesophageal reflux disease, acid reflux and heartburn symptoms can occur in normal people and also in ulcers. However, when this symptom occurs in normal people, it usually lasts for no more than 5 minutes and does not exceed 1 hour throughout the day. The symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn in ulcer disease usually occur on an empty stomach and can be relieved after eating. Symptoms of reflux disease include acid reflux, heartburn, regurgitation, belching, and retrosternal pain. Symptoms mostly occur after a full meal or a meal. Some patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease may experience atypical symptoms such as abnormal sensation in the throat, chest tightness, and breathlessness. It is easy to cause misdiagnosis.
The treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease is a long-term and systematic process. Treatment methods such as changing living habits, drug therapy, and surgery can mainly be used to suppress gastric acid and promote gastric reflux disease. Dynamic therapy, etc., because the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease sometimes do not correspond to the severity of the disease, and symptoms can easily relapse after inappropriate withdrawal of medication, so patients should undergo regular treatment under the guidance of a physician and be reviewed regularly with medication. If you are not satisfied, you can perform esophageal mucosal suturing or surgical treatment under gastroscopy.
One of the main symptoms of ulcer patients is acid reflux, so does it mean that patients with acid reflux have ulcer disease? The answer is no. What is the basis for the denial? This starts with gastric acid.
The digestion of food is inseparable from the help of gastric acid. There are "miniature chemical factories" in the stomach that produce gastric acid. . The total number of parietal cells in normal people is about 1 billion in men and about 800 million in women. Under normal circumstances, every 50 million parietal cells secrete 1 milliequivalent of gastric acid per hour, so the maximum gastric acid secretion rate in normal people is 21 milliequivalents per hour.
Normally, when we see food or smell the aroma of food, parietal cells begin to produce gastric acid; when food enters the stomach, parietal cells further increase gastric acid secretion; When chyme enters the duodenum after digestion, parietal cells increase gastric acid secretion for the third time. Gastric acid secretion is very small during fasting. When gastric acid secretion is too much, it will irritate the gastric mucosa and cause long-term acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn. Not all patients have ulcers, because the formation of ulcers is also involving the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which will only occur when the gastric mucosal defense mechanism is weakened. So besides ulcers, under what circumstances can hyperacidity and frequent acid reflux occur?
When people are worried, tense, or overtired, the cerebral cortex cannot regulate autonomic nerve function well, the excitability of the vagus nerve increases, and gastric acid secretion increases.
Some people who often take drugs that stimulate gastric acid secretion often experience acid reflux symptoms. These drugs include reserpine, glucocorticoids, pilocarpine, insulin, aspirin, and indomethacin.
Middle-aged and elderly people have gastric cardia insufficiency, such as cardiac laxity or gastric retrograde peristalsis, which causes acidic gastric juice to reflux into the esophagus and oral cavity. At this time, acid reflux will occur even if there is not much gastric acid. Acid reflux in middle-aged and elderly men is also related to prostaglandin synthesis disorder. Reduced prostaglandins can lead to increased gastric acid and acid reflux. In addition, the elderly have reduced taste sensitivity and tend to prefer sweets. Excessive consumption of sweets will increase gastric acid secretion and cause acid reflux.
Frequent consumption of rough foods that are not easily digested by the stomach or foods that are overly acidic or spicy can damage the gastric mucosa. Frequent consumption of strong tea, spirits, smoking, coffee, etc. will promote gastric acid secretion. Acid reflux symptoms occur.
An interesting phenomenon is that scientists have observed that people with type O blood are about 40% more likely to develop hyperacidity than people with other blood types. Relatives with duodenal ulcers are also more likely to develop hyperacidity. And acid reflux symptoms occur.
Acid reflux in some young women may be related to functional dyspepsia (i.e. non-ulcer dyspepsia)