What Causes GERD?
Learn Which Risk Factors You Can Control
-- By Liza Barnes, Health Educator
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Uncontrollable Risk Factors
These variables are out of your control. Although you can't do anything to change them, it's important to know that these conditions can lead to GERD.
- Hiatal hernia. A hiatal hernia describes a condition where the upper part of the stomach, which is usually separated from the esophagus by the diaphragm, is actually above the diaphragm. This allows acid to enter the esophagus easily. Although a person of any age could develop a hiatal hernia, it is more likely to occur in a person over the age of 50.
- Pregnancy. The same hormones that allow a woman’s hips to widen during pregnancy in preparation for childbirth also lead to the relaxation of the esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach contents to enter back into the esophagus. Also, the increase in size of the uterus during pregnancy creates more pressure on the stomach and may force the stomach acid up into the esophagus.
- Other medical conditions. Research has shown that a host of medical conditions can potentially lead to GERD, including: gastroparesis (a diabetes complication in which your stomach takes too long to empty), asthma, scleroderma (a swelling of muscle tissues that prevents the digestive muscles from working properly), Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (a rare condition that results in very high amounts of stomach acid), peptic ulcer, cancer, scoliosis, cystic fibrosis, other gastrointestinal disorders, food allergies, chest trauma, and more.
