THREE visits for just sixty dollars… that’s right, only $20 per visit, but you need to use them all during the month of September. Due to the popularity of this special, our schedule does tend to fill up, so act fast, don’t delay and call us soon!
Common stomach ailments, their causes and treatments… are what we will explore this month. Included in this topic are: lower esophageal disorder (LED), hiatal hernia, achalasia, and gastro-esophageal-reflux-disorder (GERD). First, we’ll learn about lower esophageal disorder (LED). There’s a marvelous sequence of events that occur when we swallow. The tongue positions itself, the airways to the lungs close up and the saliva glands secrete fluid. Then the muscles in the esophagus contract to “squeeze” what was swallowed down to the stomach thru the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which opens just long enough to let the food or pill pass into the stomach. The LES then closes up again to keep the stomach juices IN the stomach, while also preventing the hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas fumes from getting into the esophagus. The stomach has special cells in its lining that allow the high acidity of the HCl digestive juices to break down food so that nutrients can be absorbed from it. No other part of the body has this lining or needs it. At the other end of the stomach is the pyloric sphincter. It opens and closes to allow small amounts of digested food into the small intestine, where bile from the gall bladder squirts highly basic (acid neutralizing) bile. This spares the rest of the body from exposure to the acid needed to digest food. Though I’ve explained the process of swallowing in simple terms, it is actually a complex neurological flow of events during which things can go wrong at any point.
If something should so much as tickle the uvula (that tiny hanging piece of flesh at the back of your throat), you will start to cough and eject whatever it was that you were trying to swallow. These reflexes are in place to protect the lungs and bronchi. Even though we begin to swallow while in the womb, once born and breathing air, we have to learn to swallow better because we are gravity-dependent, solid-food digesting creatures. Swallowing is a highly coordinated motor effort involving the proper function of voluntary and autonomic muscle and nerves which are critical to accomplish it. We even swallow involuntarily at least every ten to fifteen minutes just to keep our mouth and throat moist. Gravity alone is not sufficient to move food from the mouth to the stomach, or to prevent reflux of the stomach contents. Next time you see a baby blissfully consuming milk in a horizontal position, notice how much of the milk is “spit up” as they learn to burp. You will gain respect for the difficulty of the learning process.
Hiatal hernia (HH) is one of the most well-known esophageal dysfunctions. There are two main types of hiatal hernia, the most common of which is known as axial or sliding. Ninety five percent of sufferers have this type. A hiatal hernia happens when a little part of the stomach is protruding through the opening in the diaphragm. Another way to describe it is that the opening of the diaphragm has enlarged, thus allowing the stomach to push up through that opening. The stomach is ‘sliding’ upwards and this creates swallowing problems.
The cause of hiatal hernia is unknown. Chiropractors have long observed that sufficient axial exertion seems to make it worse. For example, activities like digging a post hole or pulling a heavy garbage bag out of a garbage can. The proposed theory is that the abdominal contraction necessary for vertical lifting along with the increased thoracic pressure pushes the stomach up against the diaphragm. HH occurs in up to twenty percent of the adult population. Many will say any exertion lifting seems to make it worse for a while. The stomach is less able to use the LES to secure its contents. A common symptom that results is regurgitation of peptic juices. Even the gasses of these juices can cause discomfort that would be felt as heartburn. I can do a specific chiropractic adjustment that offers relief, let me know if you are interested.
Achalasia (pronounced ack-ah-LA-szhia) is a dysfunction of the esophagus related to an inability to relax and then subsequently contract. Remember, the LES has to relax in order to let what is swallowed into the stomach and then it has to contract tightly once again. This process is similar in other body functions, as the need to relax and contract also occurs in blood vessels, muscles, breathing bronchi, and even the iris of the eye. It is common for this system to function less optimally, and the chances of that increase with age. Characteristically, achalasia produces symptoms of progressive dysphagia (problems with swallowing) and eventually, regurgitation of a little partially digested food that will come up into the mouth when lying down. In most cases achalasia occurs by itself with unknown causality. Sometimes, it is a secondary condition associated with diseases that affect nerves, like polio, diabetes, and Chagas disease.
When someone can’t swallow a pill easily because it seems to get stuck at the sternum (breastbone), the esophagus probably isn’t relaxing enough to let the pill through. When a little bit of ‘vomit-like’ liquid comes up, the LES probably isn’t squeezing tight enough to keep the stomach contents IN the stomach. In both cases the general problem is a lower esophageal disorder. Often one problem contributes to the other back and forth.
In either case, the LES can get overburdened. The lining of the esophagus is much like the lining of the mouth, it is not meant to contain food or stomach acid for very long, and if forced to do so, will get inflamed. Excess “wear and tear” will cause the body to protect the lower esophagus with different cells that it copies from the stomach lining idea. So, besides the discomfort of heartburn and coughing from an incomplete swallow, or the unpleasant taste of a ‘vomit-like’ burp, there can be a very serious consequence of LES disorders: Barrett’s Esophagus.
Barrett’s Esophagus is a complication of long-standing gastro esophageal reflux. It occurs in as many as eleven percent of patients with symptoms of gastro esophageal reflux disease, which is commonly called GERD. GERD is the result of long term, constant irritation of the esophagus that causes the body to put cells in the lower esophagus that are similar to those lining the stomach. Sustained over time, this is not tolerated well, and given enough time, the cells become cancer cells. If found in the early stages, anti-acids will typically be prescribed to lower stomach acid and cause the abnormal cells to go back to normal. The same advice to reduce heartburn applies: eat smaller quantities, more slowly - chew each bite well, quit eating before full, avoid acidic and spicy foods, don’t eat for two hours before bedtime, and no strenuous exertion or ‘bending over’ activities for an hour after eating. Avoid coffee, citrus juices, wine, and carbonated drinks.
Saturday charity fundraiser… will be on the last Saturday of September, the 28th, from 10AM until 2PM. Tche proceeds from our efforts this time will go to benefit the Teller County Search and Rescue. There when you need them. And hopefully YOU never will.
Common stomach ailments, their causes and treatments… are what we will explore this month. Included in this topic are: lower esophageal disorder (LED), hiatal hernia, achalasia, and gastro-esophageal-reflux-disorder (GERD). First, we’ll learn about lower esophageal disorder (LED). There’s a marvelous sequence of events that occur when we swallow. The tongue positions itself, the airways to the lungs close up and the saliva glands secrete fluid. Then the muscles in the esophagus contract to “squeeze” what was swallowed down to the stomach thru the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which opens just long enough to let the food or pill pass into the stomach. The LES then closes up again to keep the stomach juices IN the stomach, while also preventing the hydrochloric acid (HCl) gas fumes from getting into the esophagus. The stomach has special cells in its lining that allow the high acidity of the HCl digestive juices to break down food so that nutrients can be absorbed from it. No other part of the body has this lining or needs it. At the other end of the stomach is the pyloric sphincter. It opens and closes to allow small amounts of digested food into the small intestine, where bile from the gall bladder squirts highly basic (acid neutralizing) bile. This spares the rest of the body from exposure to the acid needed to digest food. Though I’ve explained the process of swallowing in simple terms, it is actually a complex neurological flow of events during which things can go wrong at any point.
If something should so much as tickle the uvula (that tiny hanging piece of flesh at the back of your throat), you will start to cough and eject whatever it was that you were trying to swallow. These reflexes are in place to protect the lungs and bronchi. Even though we begin to swallow while in the womb, once born and breathing air, we have to learn to swallow better because we are gravity-dependent, solid-food digesting creatures. Swallowing is a highly coordinated motor effort involving the proper function of voluntary and autonomic muscle and nerves which are critical to accomplish it. We even swallow involuntarily at least every ten to fifteen minutes just to keep our mouth and throat moist. Gravity alone is not sufficient to move food from the mouth to the stomach, or to prevent reflux of the stomach contents. Next time you see a baby blissfully consuming milk in a horizontal position, notice how much of the milk is “spit up” as they learn to burp. You will gain respect for the difficulty of the learning process.
Hiatal hernia (HH) is one of the most well-known esophageal dysfunctions. There are two main types of hiatal hernia, the most common of which is known as axial or sliding. Ninety five percent of sufferers have this type. A hiatal hernia happens when a little part of the stomach is protruding through the opening in the diaphragm. Another way to describe it is that the opening of the diaphragm has enlarged, thus allowing the stomach to push up through that opening. The stomach is ‘sliding’ upwards and this creates swallowing problems.
The cause of hiatal hernia is unknown. Chiropractors have long observed that sufficient axial exertion seems to make it worse. For example, activities like digging a post hole or pulling a heavy garbage bag out of a garbage can. The proposed theory is that the abdominal contraction necessary for vertical lifting along with the increased thoracic pressure pushes the stomach up against the diaphragm. HH occurs in up to twenty percent of the adult population. Many will say any exertion lifting seems to make it worse for a while. The stomach is less able to use the LES to secure its contents. A common symptom that results is regurgitation of peptic juices. Even the gasses of these juices can cause discomfort that would be felt as heartburn. I can do a specific chiropractic adjustment that offers relief, let me know if you are interested.
Achalasia (pronounced ack-ah-LA-szhia) is a dysfunction of the esophagus related to an inability to relax and then subsequently contract. Remember, the LES has to relax in order to let what is swallowed into the stomach and then it has to contract tightly once again. This process is similar in other body functions, as the need to relax and contract also occurs in blood vessels, muscles, breathing bronchi, and even the iris of the eye. It is common for this system to function less optimally, and the chances of that increase with age. Characteristically, achalasia produces symptoms of progressive dysphagia (problems with swallowing) and eventually, regurgitation of a little partially digested food that will come up into the mouth when lying down. In most cases achalasia occurs by itself with unknown causality. Sometimes, it is a secondary condition associated with diseases that affect nerves, like polio, diabetes, and Chagas disease.
When someone can’t swallow a pill easily because it seems to get stuck at the sternum (breastbone), the esophagus probably isn’t relaxing enough to let the pill through. When a little bit of ‘vomit-like’ liquid comes up, the LES probably isn’t squeezing tight enough to keep the stomach contents IN the stomach. In both cases the general problem is a lower esophageal disorder. Often one problem contributes to the other back and forth.
In either case, the LES can get overburdened. The lining of the esophagus is much like the lining of the mouth, it is not meant to contain food or stomach acid for very long, and if forced to do so, will get inflamed. Excess “wear and tear” will cause the body to protect the lower esophagus with different cells that it copies from the stomach lining idea. So, besides the discomfort of heartburn and coughing from an incomplete swallow, or the unpleasant taste of a ‘vomit-like’ burp, there can be a very serious consequence of LES disorders: Barrett’s Esophagus.
Barrett’s Esophagus is a complication of long-standing gastro esophageal reflux. It occurs in as many as eleven percent of patients with symptoms of gastro esophageal reflux disease, which is commonly called GERD. GERD is the result of long term, constant irritation of the esophagus that causes the body to put cells in the lower esophagus that are similar to those lining the stomach. Sustained over time, this is not tolerated well, and given enough time, the cells become cancer cells. If found in the early stages, anti-acids will typically be prescribed to lower stomach acid and cause the abnormal cells to go back to normal. The same advice to reduce heartburn applies: eat smaller quantities, more slowly - chew each bite well, quit eating before full, avoid acidic and spicy foods, don’t eat for two hours before bedtime, and no strenuous exertion or ‘bending over’ activities for an hour after eating. Avoid coffee, citrus juices, wine, and carbonated drinks.
Saturday charity fundraiser… will be on the last Saturday of September, the 28th, from 10AM until 2PM. Tche proceeds from our efforts this time will go to benefit the Teller County Search and Rescue. There when you need them. And hopefully YOU never will.