What is reflux?

Reflux disease is a common condition, where the stomach contents passes back up into the oesophagus.

Contents of the stomach (e.g. acid, pepsin & bile) escapes through a valve at the top of the stomach into the oesophagus (the tube that carries food to the stomach) and even into the airways.

Normally, the stomach valve – a ring of muscle called the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) – opens to allow food to pass into the stomach and closes to prevent contents flowing back into the oesophagus. Reflux disease often results from a weak or damaged LOS which causes stomach contents to reflux inappropriately. This is known as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).

During reflux, the contents of the stomach may reflux all the way up the oesophagus, beyond the upper oesophageal sphincter (a ring of muscle at the top of the oesophagus), and into the back of the throat and possibly the back of the nasal airway. This is known as laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).

Reflux tends to be progressive in that the more a person refluxes the more damage will be caused to the oesophagus and airways which in turn will cause further reflux. Some people may also be genetically predisposed to reflux.

Lifestyle and diet can also affect reflux symptoms, as well as hiatal hernia (when the upper part of the stomach is above the diaphragm), pregnancy, slow digestion and obesity.