Introduction
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is the medical term for what we know as
acid reflux. Acid reflux occurs when the stomach releases its liquid back
into the esophagus, causing inflammation and damage to the esophageal
lining. The regurgitated acid most often consists of a few compounds:
acid, bile, and pepsin.
Stomach acid is used in the digestion of food and
can be a major irritant to the esophagus due to its tendency to damage
tissues. Bile is created in the liver and may back up into the stomach,
causing it to be released. Pepsin, the last common compound, is actually
an enzyme which helps to kick-start the stomach into breaking down
proteins.
Once afflicted with acid reflux, a person will generally continue to face
the disease for the rest of his or her life. The Esophagitis which is
caused by acid reflux can also be expected to be a life-long problem.
Once treatment for acid reflux has begun, a patient is usually advised to
continue taking the medication for as long as they want to prevent the
disease from affecting them.
It may surprise you to know that research has shown most people
experience a minor form of regurgitation on a fairly frequent basis.