The LES can, therefore, be thought of as the barrier to reflux.
The proper function of the LES allows food to pass but does not allow the reflux of stomach contents “the wrong way” up into the esophagus. The LES opens to allow food to enter the stomach when you eat and then closes tightly to keep the contents of the stomach where they belong – in the stomach. There’s a valve that connects the stomach and esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). To understand the answer, you need to understand what GERD is and why reflux happens. Thanks for your question! This is a great question and one we hear a lot. My biggest one is this – can GERE be cured? I was recently diagnosed with GERD and have a lot of questions.
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