Acid Reflux & Stress

Acid reflux is a condition caused by the rising of stomach acid through the lower esophagus. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which separates the stomach from the esophagus, becomes irritated by the rising acid, creating the painful sensation known as heartburn. While stress does not directly provoke acid reflux, stress can affect acid reflux in a variety of ways.

Acid Reflux Facts

• Acute reflux is due to a temporarily relaxed LES, which permits the backflow of acid. When the LES experiences a chronic relaxation, dysfunction or weakness, it is unable to function as a stomach-esophagus barrier, leading to gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD).

Intensity

• Psychological stress can cause a person to experience the symptoms of acid reflux (heartburn pain) with a greater intensity.

Expert Insight

• The Journal of Psychosomatic Research (2005) featured a study that induced stress to chronic heartburn patients. While the patients reported a heightened sensitivity to acid reflux symptoms, no actual increase in esophageal acid levels occurred.

Prostaglandins

• Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that line and protect the stomach; stress can trigger a drop in the level of prostaglandins and, thus, increase the stomach’s vulnerability to esophageal acid and reflux symptoms.

Behaviors

• Stress can bring about changes in behavior such as late-night binge eating, smoking cigarettes (perhaps excessively) and immoderate alcohol consumption--all of which can trigger acid reflux symptoms.

Hypersensitivity

• Investigators at the UCLA Center for Neurovisceral Sciences found that GERD patients with enduring everyday stress (or chronic anxiety) were more likely to detect reflux symptoms during bouts of stress, suggesting a correlation between psychological distress and symptom perception.