Symptoms and seriousness of acid reflux disease

Acid Reflux Disease is a condition in which contents of the stomach, which contains acid refluxes into the esophagus. When acid reflux occurs, the natural barrier or valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) that lies between the esophagus and your stomach does not work normally because it relaxes too frequently or it may be too weak to work properly. This will cause stomach acid to come in contact with your esophagus and in the process the esophagus get damaged. There’s a question here. If the stomach can handle acid, why not your esophagus? Well, this is because the lining of the stomach is designed to handle stomach acid but the lining of your esophagus is unable to do so. It can protect itself for a short while, but when acid comes in contact with the esophagus lining continuously, it can start damaging the esophagus. This is when you start experiencing symptoms such as heartburn and other painful or uncomfortable symptoms. Acid reflux disease is a chronic condition and may lead to more serious medical conditions if not diagnosed and treated properly. When a person experiences acid reflux disease at a minor level, the symptoms felt primarily include heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea. In situations where the condition becomes serious the lining of the esophagus gets damaged due to contact with stomach acid. In such a situation, the body tries to protect itself from the acid reflux disease by 'inflaming' the esophagus. When this occurs, the wall of the esophagus may form an ulcer, which is a break in the lining of the esophagus wall. The ulcer could lead to bleeding and in certain situations the patient may need blood transfusion or even surgical treatment. Serious damage can be caused by acid reflux disease to the esophagus, through conditions such as Erosive esophagitis, Esophageal stricture and Barrett's esophagus. In Erosive esophagitis the esophagus lining is eroded or damaged by continued exposure to acid and other stomach contents. Severe erosive esophagitis can include esophageal ulcers. Esophageal stricture is a condition in which there is the narrowing of the esophagus, making it very difficult to swallow. When your force yourself to swallow it may cause vomiting or choking. A stricture can also cause food to get trapped in part of the esophagus. Barrett's esophagus occurs when the lining of the lower esophagus changes to resemble the lining of the intestine. This may be the body's way of trying to protect the esophagus from the refluxing stomach acid. Barrett's esophagus is a serious complication of acid reflux disease that, in rare cases, can increase the risk of developing a type of esophageal cancer called adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.Acid reflux disease should not be taken lightly and so it is important to consult a doctor for treatment as soon as one recognizes the symptoms.

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