What to do with heartburn?
Esophageal reflux refers to the movement of stomach contents back into the esophagus, and it is a natural process. We only talk about gastroesophageal reflux disease when the stomach content returns back into the esophagus regularly and damages the lining of the esophagus or creates the symptoms listed below. The first manifestation of the disease is usually heartburn. Difficulties occur most often after eating when bending over or at night.
The most common later complications are inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis) or the so-called Barrett's esophagus, which is a predisposition to esophageal adenocarcinoma. It can be risky to postpone the solution of esophageal reflux for a long time. Try to find the cause instead.
Pathological return of stomach contents into the esophagus is caused by insufficient activity of the lower esophageal sphincter. Thanks to the very close connection between the esophageal sphincter and the diaphragm (a muscle that plays an important role in breathing and body posture), it is possible with physiotherapy treatment and appropriate exercise improve the function of these muscles in the long term and positively affect the symptoms of reflux disease.
