A comparison of a healthy condition to<unk>  Acid reflux is due to poor closure of the lower esophageal sphincter, which is at the junction between the stomach and the esophagus. Factors that can contribute to<unk> : * Hiatal hernia, which increases the likelihood of<unk>  due to mechanical and motility factors. * Obesity: increasing body mass index is associated with more severe<unk> . In a large series of 2,000 patients with symptomatic reflux disease, it has been shown that 13% of changes in esophageal acid exposure is attributable to changes in body mass index. Factors that have been linked with<unk> , but not conclusively: * Obstructive sleep apnea * Gallstones, which can impede the flow of bile into the duodenum, which can affect the ability to neutralize gastric acid In 1999, a review of existing studies found that, on average, 40% of<unk>  patients also had H. pylori infection. The eradication of H. pylori can lead to an increase in acid secretion, leading to the question of whether H. pylori-infected<unk>  patients are any different than non-infected<unk>  patients. A double-blind study, reported in 2004, found no clinically significant difference between these two types of patients with regard to the subjective or objective measures of disease severity.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Esophageal cancer
Laryngopharyngeal reflux
Angina
Geophagia
Peptic ulcer disease
Peanut allergy
Esophageal spasm