Some individuals are at an increased risk of developing acid reflux. You can break this up into three groups.

The first group is the individuals who cannot alter their circumstances. In some people the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not function properly. Normally the LES is tightly shut and opens only to allow passage of food from the esophagus into the stomach. In some people the LES is laz and opens accidentally allowing gastric contents to reflux up into the esophagus. This acidic substance will burn the esophagus. This problem can run in families.

The body shape can run in families. There are two main types. The apple and the pear. The shape indicate the distribution of body weight. The apple shape is more at risk of developing GERD because the main weight gain is in the waist line. This extra weight puts pressure on the organs in the abdomen. It increases the intra-abdominal pressure. This may lead to acidic gastric contents to be forced up into the esophagus. Apple shape is a risk factor. Being a woman in a way is a risk factor. During pregnancy the risk of developing acid reflux is as high as 80%.

There are some risk factors that you can get rid of. Lifestyle modification is often all you need. Obesity is a major risk factor. Weight loss eliminates this risk. Change from having a few big meals to small frequent ones. Stop smoking. Avoid fats and other foods that trigger or make acid reflux worse. It is not true that all food give you acid reflux. Do not have any food or liquid up to three hours before going to bed.

Certain medical conditions increase your risk of acid reflux. Asthma is a risk factor for GERD. Persistent coughing in asthma or seasonal allergies put strain on the LES. Diabetes can slow down gastric transit time. Slow clearance of food from the stomach increases the risk of acid reflux.

A hiatus hernia significantly increases the risk of developing acid reflux.

There are other rare conditions that increase the risk of developing GERD. Scleroderma and Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome are two of them.

Dr. Phil Hariram.