Understanding Heartburn (GERD)
When eating, people hope to enjoy a good taste in their mouth, followed by a comfortable feeling of fullness in their stomach. But for many older people, food does not always move from the mouth, down the throat (pharynx), to the stomach, and onward as expected.
Problems in the mouth, throat, or esophagus (which connects the throat and the stomach) may interfere. Furthermore, after food reaches the stomach and mixes with digestive acid, it sometimes flows backward (refluxes) into the esophagus a disorder called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Difficulty moving food down the throat may seem like a minor problem. Taking smaller bites, chewing more thoroughly, or eating more slowly may solve the problem. But sometimes these simple fixes do not work. Difficulty moving food from the mouth to the stomach may be the sign of a problem that can have serious consequences. Consequences include under nutrition, weight loss, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, and even death. Learn how to stop heartburn and have a peaceful nights sleep without pain or waking up.
Normally, wavelike contractions of the esophagus (called peristalsis) move food from the throat down the esophagus to the stomach. At the upper and lower ends of the esophagus are ring-shaped muscles called sphincters. During swallowing, the sphincters relax and open up so that food can pass through. When the esophagus is not in use, the sphincters contract, preventing food and stomach acid from flowing backward from the stomach to the mouth.
As people age, several changes may affect the ability to swallow. Slightly less saliva is produced. As a result, food is softened (macerated) less well and is drier before it is swallowed. The muscles in the jaws and throat may weaken slightly, making chewing and swallowing less efficient. Also, older people are more likely to have conditions that make chewing and swallowing difficult. For example, they are more likely to have loose teeth or to wear dentures.
As people age, the contractions that move food through the esophagus become weaker. This change is very slight and usually has little effect on moving food to the stomach. But if older people try to eat while lying down or lie down just after eating, food may not easily move to the stomach.
If reflux develops, the aging esophagus may be slower to move refluxed stomach acid back into the stomach. Some older people have a hiatal hernia. A hiatal hernia occurs when part of the stomach bulges upward through the opening for the esophagus in the diaphragm. A hiatal hernia may contribute to reflux. Click Here to stop your heartburn now and stop giving aways your money to the durg companies.
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