As I wrote in my main page, I was a severe sufferer of acid reflux or heartburn for many years. I finally overcame the condition and have been symptom free ever since.

What I am trying to do with this site is to provide information and advice to help other people who are suffering from acid reflux as well.

With this article I will try and explain how acid reflux occurs and keeps coming back.

Eating food should be a pleasurable activity as well as a way to stay alive. But for acid reflux sufferers this is what happens:

We chew food and saliva is mixed with the food which starts the digestion process off, the food is then passed down the oesophagus (or the pipe which connects the mouth to the stomach) and enters the stomach. The stomach contains strong acid which is required for digestion. The acid is supposed to be kept in the stomach which has a lining which protects it against the acid. The acid is not supposed to enter into the oesophagus at all.

But if the acid does get into the food pipe it burns as the oesophagus does not have any special lining to protect it. This burning is the feeling we get when we suffer from acid reflux.

This problem is usually caused by a faulty valve at the end of the oesophagus which is supposed to keep the acid out. This valve consists of smooth muscle which should operate automatically.

Everyone can suffer from a little heartburn occasionally and it is just one of those things when the valve gets it wrong, but if it is happening on a regular basis after every meal, the condition is then serious and is the full acid reflux or GERD or GORD – gastro-esophageal reflux disease or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, both are the same disease, just spelt differently in different countries.

Once acid reflux is happening on a regular basis, another condition starts to happen. This is when the acid starts to cause erosion of the oesophagus lining. This is then very serious and can sometimes erode all the way through the oesophagus.

So you can see why this disease can become such a huge problem for anyone who suffers from GERD or GORD long term.

In more articles on this site I’ll go into other factors which have a big effect on acid reflux and the various remedies which can be used.