Causes of Acid Reflux
The Many Causes of Acid Reflux

Understanding the causes of acid reflux means a simple anatomy lesson is needed. When food enters the stomach, it passes through the esophageal sphincter. The esophageal sphincter then closes, allowing for digestion to take place. Sometimes, certain foods and situations can cause the esophageal sphincter to weaken or pressure pushes it open. When this occurs, the contents of the stomach or stomach juices are able to rise back up through the esophageal sphincter. These are the true causes of acid reflux.

Foods and Situations that are Causes of Acid Reflux

Tomatoes and tomato-based foods are prime offenders as causes of acid reflux. These foods cause the esophageal sphincter to weaken. The acidity of tomato-based foods doesn’t help. Tomato based foods are widely enjoyed and a staple in many cultures. They are quite difficult to avoid, but are one of the main causes of acid reflux.

Caffeine is high on the list of causes of acid reflux. This means coffee, tea, and carbonated beverages are all potential causes of acid reflux. These drinks are beloved by the majority of the population and many people refuse to even consider lowering their intake or quitting entirely. This means taking precautions to prevent the acid reflux from occurring.

Other common foods that are the causes of acid reflux include fried foods, fatty foods, and even chocolate. Fried and fatty foods take longer to digest than other foods, causing them to sit in the stomach longer. This puts added pressure on the stomach and in turn puts pressure on the esophageal sphincter. It can be hard for people to accept that they must adjust their diet in order to stave off acid reflux.

There are also situations that can be avoided. These situations are also major causes of acid reflux. One is eating too much. When the stomach is too full, it puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. It is also important to not eat within two to three hours before lying down. This allows the contents of the stomach to rise up. These to situations can be easily avoided.

Once the causes of acid reflux are known, it is easier to prevent occurrences. This can be done by avoiding these foods and situations or by taking medications. There are medications that can be prescribed by a physician or over the counter medications that can be bought at the store. Knowing the causes of acid reflux can make life much less painful.

 Top of page