What Causes GERD

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is reflux and regurgitation of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus that is frequent and severe enough to impact daily life. It may even damage the esophagus and in a small percentage of the population may lead to cancer.

While heartburn is a common symptom, many GERD patients also suffer from ‘atypical' symptoms such as sore throat, regurgitation or acid taste in the mouth, chronic cough, laryngitis, dental erosions, discomfort in the ears and nose, and asthma like symptoms caused by the aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs.

With a normal, healthy person, after swallowing, a valve between the esophagus and the stomach opens to allow food to pass, then it closes to prevent stomach fluids from backwashing, or "refluxing," back up into the esophagus.

For people with GERD, this valve has become dysfunctional and cannot close, allowing stomach fluids, both acid and non-acid, to backwash up into the esophagus. Non-acid reflux can be as harmful to the esophagus as acid reflux and can cause similar symptoms.