Acid Reflux

Acid reflux disease, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD, afflicts millions of people. Many suffer from an occasional bout with heartburn, but acid reflux disease, as a diagnosis, should only be made if the heartburn causes impediments to your lifestyle due to severe, chronic discomfort over prolonged periods of time. Usually, if you suffer from heartburn 2 or more times per week for at least 12 weeks, there’s a good chance that your diagnosis would be GERD. Unfortunately, no one knows exactly what causes acid reflux disease, but there is an ample amount of information available at your doctor’s office and on the Internet.

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease, also referred to as acid reflux, is a physiological condition that causes the regurgitation of the stomach content into the esophagus and throat. Acid reflux is very common and may occur due to inappropriate diet, stress and unhealthy lifestyle. Some people are frequently confronted with acid reflux and in time they can develop serious complications. Physiological abnormalities seem to be the main cause for acid reflux (weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter, uncontrolled contractions of the sphincter, low pressure at the bottom of the esophagus due to abnormal positioning of the sphincter, etc). People who suffer from acid reflux as a consequence of physiological abnormalities can only overcome their condition through the means of ongoing medical treatment for acid reflux or surgery.