GERD or Acid Reflux - Swallowing a Critical Process

        

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Esophageal contractions can be one of a few causes for gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux. Most people are sadly under the impression that just high cholesterol or fatty foods are the problem, and thus eliminating these from your diet is the only solution to avoiding further suffering or the need for medication. However, there are certain life changing events that can also trigger it. There are people who produce above average amounts of stomach acid, and others who have a multiple of triggers, but generally there are four main ones, the esophageal contractions being the most important.

Swallowing is the most critical process when trying to avoid acid reflux or to simply just eat food and digest it. It may appear to be a fairly easy thing to do, but no two people are the same and everyone definitely does this differently. It is important because it designates how well one can have food pushed down the esophagus and down into the stomach. In other words, it will affect a person's ability to simply eat food and digest it. The swallowing process causes the top part of the esophagus to contract (peristalsis) in a ring like fashion. When the food gets to the lower part is has been carried to the stomach by a series of continuous wave of contractions.

Unfortunately, people who suffer from acid reflux have a flaw in their contraction ability, and acid that is generated is not flushed through their stomachs properly. As all sufferers know this can be a very uncomfortable and sometimes painful experience. The problem is that the overall pressure normally produced by swallowing is insufficient to keep the cycle going or there are simply not enough of them to get the food down to the stomach for digestion. This is not just a defect found in acid reflux suffers, but even those who get more serious reflux illnesses.

The nighttime is usually the worst for sufferers because when we sleep we lack the gravity needed to assist the process. This will further weaken any already weakened swallowing, preventing the acids from getting to the stomach. However, esophageal contractions are not present in all acid reflux sufferers, but is only usually found in the most serious cases. Ultimately, this means that the more you suffer with acid reflux, the better your chances are that you are also suffering from weakened esophageal contractions.

Jill Seimer reports on health issues at RefluxLife.com covering on healthy natural lifestyle. Recently she discussed Natural healing for Acid Reflux from her experience on acid reflux disorder symptoms.