Acid reflux has many causes. Most people think that eating fatty foods or drinking too much are the main causes. This is not the whole truth however. Some people can produce an excessive amount of stomach acid naturally and this in turn leads to acid reflux. There is far more than one single cause for this condition.

The lower esophageal sphincter is one of the major factors in the occurrence of acid reflux. The lower esophageal sphincter is the muscular tube that extends from the bottom of your throat to the stomach. Think of the lower esophageal sphincter as the gatekeeper to the food moving from the throat, or esophagus, to the stomach as the food is being digested. In the vast majority of people this muscle (the LES) functions properly. When it does not the trouble begins.

What Is The LES?

The LES is designed to open and close to allow food to move from the throat to the stomach. When the LES works correctly any food you eat will be swallowed and passed into the stomach to be digested. People who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) actually have a lower esophageal sphincter that does not function properly, letting partially digested food out to wreck havoc in your esophagus.

There are two ways that the LES can stop working properly and cause problems:

1. Weak Contraction.

This dramatically reduces the bodies ability to prevent acid reflux.

2. Transient Relaxation.

This basically means the LES stays open too long and acid can then "splash" back upwards into the esophagus.

A Thought To Take Away...

Something to bear in mind, for everyone reading this, is how the stomach reacts when you eat. If you eat a large meal your stomach will become distended (basically it becomes swollen). This can cause the LES to become overloaded with food which it cannot process properly and then acid reflux occurs. The main point here is that even people who do not suffer from acid reflux will experience severe heartburn if they eat a large meal in a hurry - your stomach simply cannot cope with it.

Be kind to your LES and it will repay the favor.