Hydrochloric Acid in Reflux Disease

Hydrochloric acid is produced in the stomach to make the conditions acidic enough to promote digestion. However, this necessary chemical becomes a hazard in reflux disease.

Significance

• Hydrochloric acid is a corrosive that causes damage as it leaves the stomach and flows up through the esophagus.

Hydrochloric Acid Function

• Hydrochloric acid is produced when the body smells food. The hydrochloric acid reduces the pH in the stomach to make highly acidic conditions. This triggers production of pepsin, a chemical that is key to breaking down food.

Reflux Disease

• A loose sphincter muscle characterizes acid reflux disease. The sphincter muscle should hold the stomach closed during digestion, but fails to do so. The contents of the stomach flow up into the esophagus. The exact causes of the loose sphincter are not known.

Features

• Hydrochloric acid is produced in the stomach, where the lining is strong and thick enough to handle the corrosive chemical. The esophagus is not reinforced, so the acid "burns" as it flows through with the stomach contents.

Names

• Acid reflux is called "heartburn" because the burning sensation caused by the acid first occurs just above the sphincter. The sphincter is located below the heart. Thus, it feels as if the heart is burning. This is also the reason that people mistake indigestion for a heart attack.