Smoking tobacco, alcohol, caffeine containing products, like coffee or chocolate, all relax and weaken the LES leading to symptoms of GERD.
Here are a few of the preventable factors that lead to a weak LES. When a person regularly overeats or is overweight, their stomach swells and puts a lot of extra pressure on the LES. Over time, the LES loses its shape and its strength, allowing acid to flow upward, causing further damage to the LES.
A band of muscle fibers, the lower esophageal sphincter, closes off the esophagus from the stomach. If the sphincter does not close properly, food and liquid can move backward into the esophagus and cause heartburn and other symptoms known as gastroesophageal disease (GERD).
By lifting and holding the neck from a supine position for 60 seconds at a time, you create enough tension in the muscle associated with the upper esophageal sphincter that it can strengthen the valve.
It has not been clearly established what causes the LES to become damaged. However, doctors have indicated that pressure on the midsection caused by obesity, frequently eating large meals and hiatal hernia can damage this important muscle.
Eat smaller meals
Large meals empty slowly from the stomach. This puts more pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter and can aggravate symptoms. Therefore, to prevent the onset of symptoms, a person can eat smaller meals more frequently rather than bigger meals less often.
With the guidance of a video camera located inside the EsophyX®, the surgeon creates sutures and tissue folds around the lower esophageal sphincter muscle, ultimately tightening and repairing it.
High-protein foods, such as lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu, and legumes increase the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter and are recommended to increase satiety and prevent acid reflux symptoms.
Although healing of the esophagus may occur in 6 to 8 weeks, it should not be misunderstood that gastroesophageal reflux can be cured in that amount of time. The goal of therapy for GERD is to keep symptoms comfortably under control and prevent complications.
An esophageal manometry test measures the motility and function of the esophagus and esophageal sphincter. A tube is usually inserted through the nose and passed into the esophagus. The pressure of the sphincter muscle is recorded and also the contraction waves of swallowing are recorded.
The LES is composed of smooth muscles, and it maintains tonic contraction owing to myogenic as well as neurogenic factors. It relaxes due to vagally mediated inhibition involving nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter.
Avoid tough meats, fresh “doughy” bread or rolls, hard bread crust, and abrasive foods. Sip fluids when taking solids at meals and snacks to moisten foods. Stop eating when you start to feel full.
Aging causes muscles to weaken. This includes weakening in your lower esophageal sphincter (LES). When you eat, food goes down your throat, through your esophagus, into your stomach.
Studies have shown that patients with typical symptoms, in comparison to those with atypical symptoms, have a better response to fundoplication. A 10-year follow-up study reported 85% percent of patients with typical symptoms had a successful outcome after LNF, compared to only 41% with atypical symptoms[19].
Anxiety may reduce pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter, which is the band of muscle that keeps the stomach closed and prevents acid from leaking into the esophagus. Stress responses and anxiety may cause long lasting muscle tension.
Stress caused by anxiety may also affect contractions occurring in the esophagus, which propel food toward the stomach. If these contractions become irregular, it can lead to reflux. Finally, high stress and anxiety levels may increase the production of stomach acid.
Causes of heartburn
The burning sensation is usually the result of stomach acid leaking up into the esophagus through a flaw in a valve known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which connects the esophagus and the stomach.
Normally, LES cannot be observed by endoscopy during forward view. However, on retroflexion and sufficient insufflation, it can be seen how the lower esophagus grasps the endoscope.
The most common symptom of esophageal disease is heartburn, which is defined as a sensation of substernal burning. Chest pain without typical heartburn may occur in a variety of esophageal disorders, including gastroesophageal reflux and motor disorders such as in achalasia.
Esophagitis is often caused by stomach fluid that flows back into the food pipe. The fluid contains acid, which irritates the esophageal lining. This problem is called gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). An autoimmune disorder called eosinophilic esophagitis also causes this condition.
Inflammatory lesions of the esophagus can also cause dysphagia. The most common is reflux esophagitis. The inflammation or associated ulceration may be so severe that a sensation of obstruction may result, although more often the obstruction will be due to a peptic stricture.