Insufficient gastric cardia is a very dangerous disorder. After all, the main function of the cardiac sphincter is to prevent the movement of food in the opposite direction (from the stomach into the tube of the esophagus). If, for one reason or another, food particles along with the gastric juice fall back into the esophagus, this is fraught with damage to the mucous membrane and the development of peptic ulcer. So what is the cause of the pathology, and what are its main symptoms?
Why does cardia failure occur?
In fact, many factors are known whose effects can lead to disruption of the cardiac sphincter. Quite often, cardia failure is the result of more serious digestive tract diseases. Indeed, such a pathology often occurs against the background of gastritis and pancreatitis.
In addition, a hernia of the diaphragm can be attributed to the list of reasons. At risk are people leading a sedentary, inactive lifestyle. The fact is that muscle weakness gradually leads to a change in the location of certain organs of the digestive system. The cause may be obesity.
On the other hand, insufficiency of cardia of the stomach can be the result of malnutrition. Of course, constant overeating, especially at night, leads to weakening of the sphincter muscles.
Why is insufficiency of cardia of the stomach dangerous?
As already mentioned, the cardiac sphincter is responsible for the movement of food into the stomach cavity. With its insufficiency (incomplete closure of the valves), food particles together with gastric juice fall back into the cavity of the esophagus tube. Here, the mucous membrane is not adapted to the effects of hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes - thus, small burns and sores appear on the walls of the organ. Such changes increase the risk of malignant degeneration and often provoke the development of certain oncological diseases.
Cardiac insufficiency of the stomach: symptoms
A similar disease is accompanied by very characteristic symptoms. And the first messenger in this case are frequent bouts of heartburn, a burning sensation, and sometimes pain in the esophagus. It is worth noting that often the discomfort intensifies after eating.
Signs of the disease include nausea, often turning into vomiting. Cardiac sphincter insufficiency may be accompanied by gurgling in the abdomen, frequent burping. In patients, as a rule, you can find a white coating on the tongue.
Due to nausea and heartburn, a sick person instinctively tries to reduce the amount of food consumed, resulting in other symptoms: weakness, decreased performance, weight loss, apathy.
Gastric cardia insufficiency: treatment
Therapy for such a disease depends on the cause of the disease. If insufficiency is provoked by gastritis, then first of all it is necessary to treat it, and with a hernia of the diaphragm it is hardly possible to do without surgical intervention.
If the violation of the sphincter is associated with improper nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle, then treatment is carried out at home. First, you need to adjust the diet - the optimal method is the so-called fractional nutrition. The diet should be complete, but the patient should reduce the portion of food, while increasing the number of meals (for example, eat a little 5-7 times a day).
The attacks of heartburn can be eliminated with the help of special drugs, in particular, “Rennie” and “Maalox” are considered effective.
An important part of therapy is physical activity. They recommend regular exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles, as well as frequent walks in the fresh air.