Heartburn Pushes Up Against The Gastro Esophageal Sphincter

Date: 2011.11.04 | Category: health | Tags:

Eating is often regulated by the feeling of being full. In some individuals this feeling does not come until the stomach is actually full with food. By overeating to this extent the stomach finds insufficient space to pump acids so as to start the digestion process. The acid that gets pumped in increases the pressure inside the stomach on the gastro esophageal sphincter, which is like a stopper cork preventing the backward entry of food and stomach content into the esophagus. Excessive force can either damage the sphincter or force it open resulting in heartburn.
This condition is a benign one that does not affect a person more often than a few times in life. However, in some people, the sphincter may rupture beyond repair or it may not function properly thus allowing food and acid content to spill into the chest region burning the tissues of the esophagus and producing that burning sensation in the chest more commonly associated with a heart attack.