Causes of GERD

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Causes of GERD: Uncontrollable Risk Factors

There are two main categories of risks that contribute to GERD--those that you

can't change, and those that you can.

Uncontrollable Risk Factors

These variables are out of your control. Although you can't do anything to

change these health conditions, it's important to know whether you fall into any

of these higher-risk categories.

a.. Hiatal hernia. A hiatal hernia describes a condition where the upper part

of the stomach, is abnormally located above the diaphragm. This position allows

acid to enter the esophagus easily. Although a person of any age could develop a

hiatal hernia, it is more likely to occur in a person over the age of 50.

b.. Pregnancy. The same hormones that allow a woman's hips to widen during

pregnancy in preparation for childbirth also lead to the relaxation of the

esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach contents to enter back into the

esophagus. Also, the increase in size of the uterus during pregnancy creates

more pressure on the stomach and may force the stomach acid up into the

esophagus.

c.. Other medical conditions. Research has shown that a host of medical

conditions can potentially lead to GERD, including: gastroparesis (a diabetes

complication in which your stomach takes too long to empty), asthma, scleroderma

(a swelling of muscle tissues that prevents the digestive muscles from working

properly), Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (a rare condition that results in very

high amounts of stomach acid), peptic ulcer, cancer, scoliosis, cystic fibrosis,

other gastrointestinal disorders, food allergies, chest trauma, and more.

(AND, Liver Disease ) Joanne

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