ACID REFLUX: When hydrochloric acid escapes from the stomach, past a failed one way valve, up the food tube, it triggers a strong protective reflex; and this is appropriate. We usually associate acid reflux with heartburn. We now realize reflux often happens without heartburn. The magnitude of the response can cause mucus production, muscle spasm, pain and swelling throughout the body, even though the target of protection is the acid spill in the esophagus. This can cause misery and trouble. These persistent "problems" sometimes get labeled as a disease. If you are good enough at protecting yourself internally from acid reflux you don't get heartburn. Remember, I did not create this body response, I'm just reporting to you what I have learned. My initial "discovery" had to do with my oldest daughter. After 20 years of vague, nuisance type of allergy, sinus, ear pain, breathing problems and several doctors who never suspected acid reflux she developed her very first episode of heartburn. For the first time in her life she had a complaint that helped localize her problem to the gastrointestinal tract. That is when I took a marked interest in the study of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If you knew about something that could help my sick loved one and didn't do your best to share information, I wouldn't think very highly of you. I'm only doing what you would likely do if the circumstances were reversed. I'm here to share what I have learned.

The stomach makes several ounces of industrial strength hydrochloric acid every day. Because of the failure of the one way valve that keeps food and digestive secretions in the stomach after we swallow, our body is inappropriately allowing these contents to flow in this reverse direction. These corrosive, often acidic, juices flow back up, out of the stomach, past the failing valve, thus arriving in the lower food tube. The delicate lining of the esophagus is relatively thin and poorly designed to protect itself from prolonged contact with the harsh, caustic contents that escape from the stomach. The stomach, on the other hand, is very well suited to protect itself through a variety of mechanisms. As a result of this hazardous "chemical spill" in contact with the delicate tissue of the esophagus, our brain perceives the enormity of the threat. At this point the body perceives "acid in the food tube". Studies show that the body reacts the same whether we as researchers, or your body as stomach juice generator, makes the acid. It's the fact that a dangerous chemical is in contact with vulnerable tissue that triggers an immense, dramatic response. These tissues are in immediate danger of total destruction (it is VERY important to stop and recall that this is the same harsh, corrosive liquid, hydrochloric acid, which can dissolve tin foil on contact). If not for the inherent protective reflexes of your body, severe tissue destruction would be inevitable. When the acid penetrated through the wall of the esophagus or eroded a blood vessel, death could easily follow.

Our body responds to the enormity of the threat by the means it has available. The response varies, as one would expect, from person to person. Perhaps the most outwardly apparent manifestation of this protective reflex is the production of large amounts of mucus. The person may notice the increased secretions in their nose, down the back of their throat, in the mouth, in the ear canals, in the rectum or in the stool and elsewhere. If they don't have heartburn they may not have a clue that the "trouble" originates in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract due to a failure of a basic protective mechanism; the check valve at the foot of the esophagus. This valve is called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). All this trouble is due to the escape of harsh digestive chemicals manufactured in the stomach. This one way "check valve" is a basic protective mechanism. The LES is intended to keep the food/digestive enzymes/hydrochloric acid confined to a compartment (the stomach) well endowed and designed to handle the caustic nature of this harsh liquid. The LES is a muscular ring, intended to be open only when we swallow. It should stay squeezed or "pinched" closed the rest of the time to prevent regurgitation. Something in our "modern" lifestyle/diet allows the muscular valve to weaken, fail and thus the stomach contents escape past it, back up, toward the head and neck region. Our body automatically responds to protect us from almost certain sudden death.