Acid Reflux

Acid reflux also known as pyrosis and acid indigestion is a burning sensation around the chest which caused by the flow of stomach acid back into the food pipe. The burning occurs when the gastro esophageal sphincter which acts as a valve to prevent the back movement of food from stomach.

 It is caused by hiatal, a condition in which a hole in the diaphagram enables the upper part of the stomach to enter the chest cavity. Other causes include smoking, obesity, medications for long term disease, high intake of table salt, low intake of fibers and low levels of physical exercise.

Sixty percent of the adult population will experience some type of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) within a 12 month period and 20 to 30 percent will have weekly symptoms. Approximately seven million people in the United States have some symptoms of GERD.