Acid Reflux Cause
Acid Reflux Cause
Acid reflux is caused when stomach acid moves from the stomach into the esophagus. This occurs because of a faulty esophageal sphincter. This is a valve that prevents the stomach contents from leaving after it has been eaten.
There are many factors that can cause this problem, but here a few that contribute to acid reflux.
Obesity
This is a major factor in causing acid reflux. By losing extra weight, many of the symptoms will be gone completely or provide relief in the severity of the symptoms.
Asthma
Research still cannot explain why this happens, but excess coughing can worsen the symptoms of acid reflux.
Overeating
Acid reflux is caused by excess acid produced by the stomach to digest large amounts of food that are eaten at one time. Some of this food will travel up the esophagus causing you to experience acid reflux. If you notice this at bedtime, try going to bed on an empty stomach or eat a few hours before going to sleep.
Hiatal Hernia
Hiatal hernia will form at the opening in your diaphragm where your esophagus joins your stomach. Then, a part of the stomach will push through the opening, causing a hiatal hernia. If this occurs in a individual it may cause a problem with acid reflux. This is especially a problem in people over the age of 65.
Pregnancy
During the last months of pregnancy, the enlarging size of the baby will push the stomach up. This may cause some acid to find its way up the esophagus. This cannot be solved by taking antacids, but the good news is that after you have given birth, the problem will go away. You can control acid reflux to some extent during pregnancy by eating smaller but more frequent meals. If you eat a large meal it will only worsen the acid reflux.
