The meal was great, but afterwards a burning sensation at the back of the throat spoils the pleasure – we call it heartburn. This unpleasant reaction occurs because the sphincter is unable to perform its normal function of holding back the gastric acid in the stomach, allowing it to rise up into the esophagus. If this recurs frequently over many years, it is not merely discomforting but can actually have serious consequences. The esophagus often responds to the repeated attacks from gastric acid by replacing some of its cells with less sensitive stomach cells – experts refer to this as Barrett’s ulcer, which can develop into cancer if left untreated.
