Gastroesophageal reflux disease

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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD) is a common condition, and one of the most frequent causes of indigestion in the UK. It happens when acid from your stomach leaks back up through your oesophagus (gullet) and throat. Eventually this leads to damage to the delicate oesophagus lining.

When stomach acid leaks back into the oesophagus, it is called acid reflux. Normally the sphincter, the muscle at the join between the oesophagus and stomach, tightens up to stop acid and food coming back up out of the stomach. Acid reflux happens when the sphincter does not work very well, or when there is a lot of pressure on the stomach (for example, after a very large meal).

The oesophagus can cope with a small amount of stomach acid, and some people are more sensitive to acid reflux than others. Most people experience acid reflux occasionally, but if it happens frequently it can damage the sensitive lining of the oesophagus. This is when simple heartburn becomes GORD. If the damage to the oesophagus leads to inflammation (soreness and swelling), this is called oesophagitis. You can have GORD with or without having oesophagitis, but the longer your acid reflux is untreated, the more likely you are to have damage to your oesophagus and develop oesophagitis.