FAQ / Resources
Definitions related to gastroesophageal disorders:
Angina: Sub-sternal pain related to coronary artery
disease. It is provoked by exertion and is described as a band of
pressure across the breast bone. Often the discomfort subsides in a few
minutes of rest or with medication. This symptom is characteristic of
heart disease, but is sometimes felt by patients with esophageal
disorders.
Chest Pain: Often described as a sharp stabbing
pain behind the breast bone. Frequently it is not associated with
swallowing disorders. In GERD it may accompany
swallowing, possibly as a result of the inflammation present.
Occasionally the pain is described as an uncomfortable pressure behind
the breast bone, reminiscent of angina.
Cough: A sudden noisy expulsion of air from the
lungs, usually produced to keep the passageways of the lungs free of
foreign matter. In the case of reflux, the foreign matter is the
contents of the stomach. This symptom is usually chronic in nature and
occurs more often at night, frequently waking the suffering individual.
Dysphagia: Difficulty in swallowing. The cause may
be any one of a number of reasons such as hyper-contracting sphincter,
the inflammation of esophagitis, esophageal spasm, or paralysis of the
esophageal muscles.
Esophagus: The esophagus serves as a conduit
between the mouth and the stomach. In health, it quickly transfers food
and liquids down to the rest of the digestive tract. It has two
sphincters at its beginning and end, which act as gates, primarily
protecting itself and the larynx from the contents of the stomach. The
upper gate is called the Upper Esophageal Sphincter and is located
approximately at the base of the hypopharynx. The lower gate is called
the Lower Esophageal sphincter and is located at the junction of the
esophagus and stomach.
Gastroenterologist: A doctor who specializes in diseases of the digestive tract.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): The
inflammation and/or pain associated with the escape of stomach contents
into the esophagus. In particular, it has been shown to be related to
acid reflux from the stomach, however, it may also be related to bile
reflux from further down the digestive system.
Typically, the disease is associated with some or all of the
following: heartburn, chest pain, dysphagia, or regurgitation or
vomiting.
The exact cause of the reflux may be due to several factors which
all relate to the Lower Esophageal sphincter (LES). This area of the
esophagus serves as a one-way valve in the average healthy individual.
In people with GERD, the valve becomes more of a two-way valve, thus
allowing acid and bile to leak into the esophagus. The change from a
one-way valve to a two-way valve may be due to one or more of the
following: low resting pressure, short length, or a tendency to
spontaneously relax more than normal.
Heartburn: Heartburn (pyrosis) is often described
as a burning behind the breastbone. The pain can radiate to the neck
and be of varying intensity. It is the most common complaint in people
with GERD.
Laryngitis: Inflammation of the larnyx, usually
manifested as some or all of the following: dryness, soreness,
hoarseness, and dysphagia. In GERD, laryngitis may be a result of
chronic night reflux of gastric contents up the esophagus to the
pharynx and larynx, causing irritation of the tissues of these regions.
Motility: The ability to move spontaneously,
however in the case of esophageal motility, there are many factors
(i.e. nerves, hormones, and mechanical distention) involved in inciting
the esophagus to move. The coordination and strength of esophageal
motility is important to transport food to the stomach and to clear
refluxed acid from the stomach.
Odynophagia: A sharp pain felt behind the breast bone during swallowing. It usually reflects severe erosive esophagitis.
Peristalsis: A wave of contraction passing along a
tubular structure. In the esophagus this wave is formed by a
circumferential squeeze of its walls. This squeeze propagates from
below the pharynx to the stomach.
Pharynx/(Larynx): The pharynx is the region behind
the tongue. There are actually three pharyngeal regions (combined they
comprise the larynx): the nasopharynx (this is the most superior
portion, behind the nose), the oral pharynx (this is the part in the
back of the mouth), and the hypopharynx (the most inferior, situated in
the back of the throat). Anatomically the hypopharynx is a significant
area because both the trachea (breathing tube) and esophagus
(swallowing tube) begin in this region.
Regurgitation: A backward flow of material. In
GERD, this symptom is usually associated with a bitter or acid taste in
the mouth. The "material" is composed of refluxed gastric contents
(e.g. undigested food, particulate matter, gastric acid, and sometimes
bile secretions).
Stomach: The stomach acts as a reservoir, grinder
and digestive vat. The Lower Esophageal Sphincter, located at the
junction of the stomach and esophagus, keeps the contents of the
stomach from going back into the esophagus. This region of the
esophagus is often defective in patients with GERD.
Spasm: A sudden, involuntary contraction of a
muscle or group of muscles. In the esophagus, this results in a strong,
uncoordinated, non-propulsive contraction which leads to dysphagia and
chest pain.