Acid Reflux - Part 1 - Introduction
Acid reflux occurs when one of two closures, or "sphincters," in
the esophagus fail to remain sealed after food and/or liquid
pass through them on the way to one's stomach. The two
sphincters are located at each end of the esophagus. The first
one is at the top, directly behind the larynx and pharynx. The
second one is at the bottom, directly above the stomach.
There are two forms of acid reflux - Gastroesophageal Reflux
Disease (GERD) and Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR). Either form
can cause serious and permanent damage, including some forms of
cancer, if not diagnosed and treated on a timely basis. Please
read further in Parts 2 and 3 for some of the symptoms, tests
for diagnosis and evaluation, and treatments commonly used to
control this potentially devastating disease.
Should you discover that you have any of the symptoms, please
seek medical help quickly so that you can minimize the risks of
permanent damage.
For your convenience, see the following pronunciation key and a
few definitions to assist with some of the terminology in the
three parts provided:
Pronunciations:
Bronchi - bron'-ki
Dysphagia - diss-fay'-gee-ah
Endoscopy - en-dos'-cop-ee
Gastroesophageal - gas'-tro-ess-off'-ah-gee'-al
Gingivitis - jin'-jiv-eye'-tiss
Halitosis - hal'-ih-toe'-siss
Hiatal Hernia - hi-ay'-tal her'-nee-ah
Laryngitis - lair'-in-ji'-tiss
Laryngopharengeal - lair-in'-go-fair'-in-gee'-al
Laryngoscopy - lair'-in-goss'-cop-ee
Larynx - lair'-innks
Odynophagia - oh-din'-oh-fay'-gee-ah
Pharynx - fair'-innks
Trachea - tray'-key-ah
Definitions:
Bronchi - large tubes between the trachea and the lungs
Dysphagia - dysfunctional swallowing (see article 3 for further
explanation)
Dysphonia - change in, weakness of, or cracking of one's voice
when speaking or singing
Endoscopy - a procedure in which a tube containing fiber optic
filaments and a microscopic lens is inserted into one's
esophagus to assess and diagnose GERD
Gingivitis - a form of gum disease
Halitosis - chronic bad breath, frequently caused by illness
and/or disease
Laryngoscopy - similar to the endoscopy, except that this is
used to assess the condition of one's larynx and pharynx
Larynx - voice box
Pharynx - throat
Odynophagia - pain when swallowing (see article 3 for further
information)
Sphincter - a band of muscle tissue which closes to prevent
involuntary evacuation of material(s) from one's body