What is cardia. Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach: how to cure. Use of certain medications

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract every year occupy an increasing percentage in the infrastructure of morbidity, and the crazy rhythm of life makes more and more people forget about proper nutrition.

Without too much exaggeration, the feeling of heartburn is familiar to any person, but in most cases this symptom is underestimated and ignored. Often this negligence turns into a string of complications that could have been avoided with timely treatment. It can be expensive to undergo expensive examinations on a regular basis, but everyone can find the first signs of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach.

Cardia (or cardiac sphincter) is a muscular sphincter that delimits the upper part of the stomach and the lower third of the esophagus, anatomically it is the lower esophageal sphincter and the gate for the passage of the food bolus.

This sphincter, along with other structures of the gastrointestinal tract, regulates the physiologically correct movement of food, performing two functions at once:

• passes the food lump into the stomach;
• prevents stomach contents from returning to the esophagus.

Violation of the latter function is associated with the development of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach (otherwise - chalazia).

Insufficiency of the esophageal sphincter does not occur as a primary pathology, but as a complication of an existing disease, the cause of which is the lack of proper treatment at the initial stage of the disease.

The neglect of the condition can be explained by the absence of discomfort in the patient before the development of insufficiency. The symptoms of chalazia cannot be ignored, and the patient goes to the doctor.

Pathogenesis

The esophagus has two sphincters (upper and lower (cardia)), which are both in a constantly compressed state. Normally, reducing its tone, the cardia passes a lump of food down, then narrows the lumen again.

The main provoking factor for the development of 70% of cases of chalazia is an increase in intragastric pressure. Pressure can increase for various reasons:

• narrowing or spasm of the pyloric sphincter;
• increased gas formation;
• a sharp rise in weight "on the stomach."

At the same time, the sphincter cannot cope and is forced to open the gate for the return flow of food into the esophagus (reflux). A similar condition sometimes manifests itself in the norm, but the body has a powerful margin of safety: the epithelium is protected by a layer of mucus, and an extensive circulatory network provides the esophagus with a good regenerative capacity. But the acidic gastric contents are still not intended to be on the delicate epithelium of the esophagus.

With systematic reflux, pain syndrome, burns of the mucosa are formed. The patient is bothered by a feeling of heaviness and burning, called heartburn.

With hernia of the diaphragm, the cardia descends into the chest cavity, the diaphragm fixes the esophagus less. The sphincter opening is at a different angle, which increases the chance of reflux.

Diseases that provoke the development of cardia

1. Chronic gastritis;
2. Stomach ulcer;
3. Esophagitis;
4. Hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm;
5. Excessive physical activity;
6. Obesity, systematic overeating;
7. Sedentary lifestyle;
8. Conditions after surgical interventions and so on.

It should be noted that the organic causes that caused sphincter insufficiency are transient and usually resolve on their own. They can be caused by the condition after operations or other factors, the only important thing is that the anatomical defect cannot be identified.

Degrees

The sooner the patient seeks help, the more effective and sooner further treatment will go. It is especially important to “catch” the disease at the initial stages, when the sphincter is still mobile, and the esophageal mucosa is not fatally damaged. In this regard, 3 degrees of the disease can be distinguished, the criterion for dividing which is the diameter of the gap and the mobility of the sphincter.

• I degree. The mobility of the muscular apparatus of the sphincter is preserved. There is a small gaping hole, but clinically this is expressed only by frequent belching of air without a sour taste.
• II degree. There is practically no mobility of the sphincter. The diameter of the hole is only half closed by the valve. Endoscopically, prolapse of the mucosa into the cardiac opening can be seen.
• III degree. The mobility of the muscle sphincter is absent, the hole is always completely open, gaping. Pronounced inflammatory signs, erosion, ulcers. Due to constant irritation, the epithelium can be reborn with the formation of a precancerous condition - Barrett's esophagus.

Symptoms

Patients with insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach present similar complaints, according to which the specialist prescribes an additional study. In general, the picture of the disease is very bright and typical.

1. Heartburn is the most common symptom. Belching with air (in the later stages of the acidic contents of the stomach) can be repeated and painful, debilitating. Usually it is not associated with food intake.
2. Pain after eating or physical activity is dull, sometimes diffuse. There is a connection between alcohol consumption and smoking, as well as in the evening when taking a horizontal position.
3. Heaviness and burning along the esophagus and stomach.
4. Often patients complain of nausea and the urge to vomit.

Depending on the cause of the insufficiency, the symptoms can be specific:

1. Dizziness;
2. Acute pain in the abdomen;
3. Weakness;
4. Plaque on the tongue;
5. Apathy;
6. Significant weight loss, lack of appetite.

Such complaints are not very common, but are important diagnostic markers, upon detection of which it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor.

The symptomatology gives a fairly clear picture of the disease, which determines the radius of the diagnostic search, and, as you know, what is well diagnosed is well treatable.

Diagnostics

FGDS procedure

Fibrogastroduadenoscopy (EGD) is considered the gold standard for diagnosing cardia insufficiency. This manipulation allows you to examine the mucosa as carefully and in detail as possible. When conducting FGDS, a biopsy of mucosal tissues, the introduction of drugs, and stopping bleeding are also performed.

In addition to detecting gastritis, peptic ulcer or esophagitis, an indisputable advantage of FGDS is the diagnosis of oncological diseases at the prehospital stage. Therefore, according to WHO standards, the procedure is recommended to be carried out annually, the procedure is absolutely safe, and in these conditions, discomfort and the risk of complications are minimized.

However, the presence of allergies, epilepsy and other contraindications in the patient complicates the situation of the patient and the doctor, then it is possible to conduct a chest x-ray, which can reflect the appearance of reflux esophagitis.

Esophagoscopy makes it possible not only to examine the condition of the esophageal mucosa, but also to note a specific picture of the closure of the sphincter valve apparatus. The result of esophagoscopy can be useful for the surgeon to familiarize himself and decide on the tactics of treatment.

Esophagoscopy technique

There are other options for diagnosis, such as methylene blue test, esophageal pH, but they do not show the full picture in the stomach.

Treatment Methods

First of all, the doctor prescribes a diet and diet, that is, the factor that provoked the damage is excluded. In combination with this, the specialist recommends a change in lifestyle: reduce physical activity, leave bad habits.

Drug therapy is prescribed according to the course of the primary disease.

Most often, the causative factor is gastritis, and from this position drugs are prescribed that reduce the aggressiveness of gastric contents. This parameter corresponds to 2 groups of drugs:

• antisecretory (ranitidine, omeprazole)
• antacids (salts of magnesium and calcium).

Antacid sodium bicarbonate is not the drug of choice in this case, because. causes gas formation in the stomach, which leads to an increase in pressure, and antisecretory drugs can exacerbate chronic pathologies (glaucoma).

Preparations that protect the mucosa and improve regeneration:

• film-forming agents (sucralfate, bismuth tripotassium dicitrate)
• mucus stimulants (misoprostol)

In addition to the obvious advantage in the formation of a gastroprotective layer on the surface of the stomach, the adsorption of pepsin and bile acids, bismuth tripotassium dicitrate has antimicrobial activity against Helicobacter Pylory. Omeprazole also has this quality in a weaker form.

At the initial stage of treatment, symptomatic therapy is prescribed: almagel, smecta against heartburn.

Recently, a group of drugs called parkinetics (perinorm, raglan) has gained popularity. They return the tone to the muscular frame of the lower esophageal sphincter, slightly easing the condition of the esophagus.

In the case of a combined lesion with infectious agents, treatment is approached in combination with the appointment of antibiotics.

Clarification of concomitant pathologies and attentiveness to the details of the anamnesis allow the doctor to choose the most optimized remedy for a particular patient, and therefore you should not start self-treatment of gastric cardia without consulting a specialist.

In some cases (hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm, lack of effect from conservative treatment), one has to resort to surgical treatment. Previously widely used vagotomy was recognized as ineffective, minimally invasive interventions sometimes cannot provide a full cure. Anti-reflux operations (according to Geller, plastic according to Petrovsky) are recognized as the most optimal for the treatment of insufficiency of cardiac sphincter.

Disease prevention

The first and simplest advice from a doctor in this situation is to adjust the diet. Fractional regular meals in small portions are indicated for gastritis and other pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. This measure is effective as it reduces the residence time of acid and enzymes in the stomach.

Cut out fatty and spicy foods from the diet, at least until the original cause (for example, gastritis) is completely cured. Instead, the diet includes steamed and boiled foods, limit salt intake.

Strong drinks (tea, coffee), chocolate will also have to be temporarily limited. It is better to replace them with natural jelly and starchy cocktails. Eliminate the use of alcohol, definitely quit smoking, as nicotine causes an increase in the secretion of glands in the stomach.

Help with folk remedies

There are many traditional medicine recipes for the treatment of insufficiency of the lower esophageal sphincter. Since in most cases the cause of chalazia is inflammation, any decoctions and infusions that have proven themselves to relieve inflammation are suitable. In particular, a decoction of dill and fennel seeds, chamomile is used. It is recommended to brew herbal teas from mint, dry raspberry leaves, lemon balm. Activated charcoal, known for its absorbent properties, reduces heartburn.

Licorice root syrup has enveloping properties.

An important place in the treatment of chalazia is given to plantain juice, a tablespoon of which is drunk before meals.

Also come with a decoction of calamus root: half an hour before meals, drink half a glass of warm solution.

Article content:

Cardia insufficiency is a pathology of the stomach, in which the sphincter that separates the stomach and esophagus does not completely close. Cardia is a valve that separates the stomach and its contents from the esophagus, where an alkaline or neutral process occurs in the internal environment. Organ failure over time contributes to the onset of reflux disease. This valve prevents the escape of gastric contents into the esophagus, the walls of which, when ingested by digestive enzymes, can lead to burns and ulcers, resulting in a malignant transformation of the esophageal mucosa.

What factors lead to the development of organ failure?

Cardiac insufficiency most often occurs for two reasons:

• The cardia of the stomach loses its functionality due to increased pressure on it from the area of ​​the organ. In order for food from the esophagus to enter the stomach, low pressure is needed. However, in order for the valve to begin to pass the contents back from the stomach, a very high impact is required, which can be caused by severe flatulence in the stomach, fermentation of food in the stomach, or overeating;
• The second cause of organ failure is a violation of the functionality of the natural mechanism that prevents stretching of the gastric valve - the muscles in front of the diaphragm. This condition appears in the presence of certain pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as obesity. This is the result of frequent overeating of food in large quantities at bedtime, a passive lifestyle, weight gain, diaphragmatic hernia.

Gastritis in a chronic form provokes the disease in about fifty percent of cases, a hernia of the esophagus also contributes to organ failure. Otherwise, this is a non-compliance with the principles of a healthy diet.

Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach: classification and symptoms

The progression of the disease is established by a diagnostic method. The following degrees of development of organ failure are divided:

• In grade 1, the moving gastric sphincter does not fully contract. The disease is accompanied by frequent belching;
• Grade 2 is manifested by closing the valve of the stomach only by half. The patient is tormented by frequent eructations. In some cases, a hiatal hernia may occur;
• At 3 degrees, the cardia does not close completely. Symptoms of esophagitis are observed.

What are the general symptoms of pathology?

• Heartburn appears regardless of nutrition;
• Belching of sour or bitter contents;
• Often patients are tormented by dyspeptic manifestations: nausea and vomiting;
• Due to the constant impact on the mucosa of the esophagus, pain occurs in the epigastric zone, accompanied by rumbling;
• When the disease occurs, symptoms such as dizziness, weakness, loss of strength.

The symptoms of reflux esophagitis are as follows:

• Whitish coating on the tongue;
• Rumbling in the abdomen;
• Pain in the left hypochondrium;
• Loss of energy and dizziness.

How is cardiac insufficiency diagnosed?

In order to prescribe an effective treatment of the stomach, it is necessary to carry out diagnostic measures. Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach is determined using laboratory techniques:

• X-ray examination, which helps to establish the reverse process of throwing food;
• Esophagoscopy is often required to determine changes in the esophageal mucosa. Thanks to this method, it is possible to conduct a differential diagnosis of other diseases of the esophagus and determine the presence of existing problems;
• An important role in the diagnosis of the disease is played by such a technique as pH-metry of the esophagus, during which it is possible to establish the presence of throwing contents.

Treatment of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach

Treatment of organ failure begins with determining the cause that led to its development. The patient should be fully examined by a gastroenterologist and determine the pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract that contributed to dysfunction. If the disease was provoked by a diaphragmatic hernia, then an effective method of therapy would be surgical intervention, during which the muscle tissue is sutured. This is a radical technique, which is used very rarely, when there are no other therapeutic methods.

If the insufficiency arose as a result of gastritis, then it is necessary to treat the underlying disease. To eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of organ failure, such as heartburn, belching, halitosis, follow these recommendations:

• Eat small meals often;
• Drink on an empty stomach 100 ml of boiled water;
• Follow a temporary diet with the exception of coffee, strong brewed tea, sweets, spicy, fatty, citrus fruits;
• If you are overweight, take measures to reduce it: go to the gym, drink up to two liters of clean drinking water a day, follow a diet, etc.;
• Do exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles;
• Walk a lot on foot slowly;
• Do not drink alcohol or smoke;
• After dinner, do not go to bed for 1.5 hours;
• Do not wear tight clothing;
• You need to sleep with a slightly raised head of the bed;
• Frequent physical overexertion and tilting of the body should be avoided.

Drug treatment for insufficiency is to take drugs that improve the activity of the valve. Metoclopramide and domperidone are considered effective. The dosage is prescribed by the attending physician individually.

Complications caused by organ failure are quite serious and life-threatening for the patient: ulcers, bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract. Pain relievers are often used to relieve the clinical manifestations of complications of organ failure. When concomitant infectious diseases of the stomach are detected, combined treatment is necessary, including taking antibiotics. Expedient and timely treatment of organ failure is the basis for rapid recovery and prevention of complications of stomach disease.

A condition such as insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach does not appear just like that. It may indicate a malignant tumor in the stomach - gastrinoma. Do not self-medicate insufficiency and postpone going to the doctor. Be sure to seek help from a gastroenterologist and complete a full course of diagnostics. You may need emergency medical attention.

Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach- this is a pathological condition associated with incomplete compression of the sphincter that separates the stomach and esophagus, causing gastric juice and bile to enter the walls of the esophagus and irritate them. Otherwise, the disease can be called cardiac sphincter. With such a disease, a person is tormented by frequent belching after eating, there is an unpleasant smell from the mouth. In the advanced stage of the pathology, the walls of the mucosa of the esophagus undergo erosion (corrosion, the appearance of ulcers), which significantly worsens the well-being of a person. Often, incomplete closure of the esophageal sphincter ends with the development of gastroesophageal disease, when a person loses his appetite, suffers from nausea, and pain in the esophagus occurs.

There are many sphincters in the human body and their main role is to regulate the transfer of contents from one organ to another. So, the sphincter of the stomach protects the upper part of the digestive system from throwing food into it, gastric juice, which negatively affect the mucous membranes of the esophagus. Under the influence of pathological factors, the sphincter is weakened and insufficiently reduced, which leaves a lumen connecting the stomach and esophagus. This condition is caused by various reasons, including non-compliance with the diet, alcohol abuse, chronic diseases of both the stomach and other organs. For the treatment of the initial stages, conservative methods are used, and in advanced cases, surgery is necessary.

Causes

Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach develops most often precisely because of the lifestyle of a person, in second place are the reasons associated with various abnormalities in human organs and systems.

Note! Signs of cardiac sphincter can be observed in a person of any age, so both young and old people are at risk.

Often the disease develops under the influence of the following factors:

• excessive drinking and smoking;
• increased salt intake;
• nutrition in which the body does not receive enough dietary fiber (bread, cereals, vegetables, fruits);
• sedentary lifestyle;
• excess weight;
• irregular meals;
• stressful lifestyle;

In practice, cases were recorded when the disease developed during pregnancy. Other common causes of cardiac sphincter include diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. People with hypertonicity of the muscles in the stomach suffer from cardia insufficiency. Oncological processes in the digestive tract adversely affect the work of the sphincter.

Among the reasons for which the diagnosis of "insufficiency of the cardia" is made, one can single out the presence of asthma, connective tissue diseases (scleroderma), as well as a hernia of the diaphragm, which affects the sphincter.

Features of the pathological process

With insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach, an incomplete closure of the sphincter is observed, which is why part of the contents of the stomach is thrown back into the esophagus. As you know, the stomach produces gastric juice, which has an acidic environment. If the gastric mucosa normally perceives such an environment, then the esophageal mucosa is irritated, which causes gastroesophageal disease. In addition to gastric juice, food debris, bile, and enzymes that are involved in digestion can enter the esophagus. If such a disease is not treated in a timely manner, then small ulcers begin to form on the mucosa of the esophagus, which over time can spread to the walls in the region of the inlet in the stomach.

Important! Naturally, ulcers do not form immediately, the disease is characterized by a slow course, but in the end, the more the pulp is started, the harder it will be to treat it.

In total, there are three degrees of cardia insufficiency:

1. At the 1st degree of pathology, a state of incomplete closure of the sphincter is observed. During this period, frequent belching is considered a common symptom. The sphincter itself does not close one third of its size.
2. At the 2nd degree, the sphincter closes only by half, which is why a more vivid clinical picture is observed. In addition to frequent belching, there are signs of general weakness. The mucous membrane of the stomach itself is irritated, which can cause pain in the abdomen.
3. The 3rd degree is considered neglected, with it the sphincter does not close at all. An inflammatory process develops on the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach.

A mild degree is best treated, but at an advanced stage, a person will have to undergo surgery to get rid of symptoms.

Symptoms

The main symptom at any stage of the disease is frequent belching and. Heartburn can occur at any time, both before and after eating. In the initial stage of the pathology, belching with air predominates, but in the second and third stages, the contents of the stomach are felt during belching. When bile enters the esophagus, bitterness is observed in the mouth.

This pathology has other symptoms. Vomiting and nausea are common symptoms. With strong irritation of the mucous membranes, there is a feeling of pain inside the chest, in the place where the esophagus passes into the stomach.

With an inflammatory process affecting the mucous membranes, symptoms of weakness, increased fatigue, constant fatigue appear. After eating, there is a burning sensation in the stomach. Over time, there is pain during swallowing, increased salivation, sore throat. Some patients even change their voice, it becomes hoarse.

This pathological process is not as harmless as it seems to some patients. With the progression of cardia insufficiency, the mucous membrane of the esophagus is affected, which can narrow. And the intestines can also suffer, up to the development of intestinal obstruction. In practice, there have been cases when the acidic contents of the stomach entered the pulmonary system, which disrupted the respiratory function. That is why pulp is a predisposing factor to oncological processes in the esophagus.

Diagnostics

The further treatment algorithm depends on the correct diagnosis. First of all, the patient needs to see a doctor. Your doctor will order an x-ray that involves your upper digestive system. To study the state of the mucous membrane, an endoscopic examination is performed. To determine the acidity in the esophagus and stomach, a daily pH-metry procedure is performed.

Among the additional methods of research, gastrofibroscopy is used. With the help of gastrofibroscopy, pathological processes in the gastrointestinal tract can be detected. To examine the mucous membrane of the stomach and esophagus, as well as to exclude oncological processes, a biopsy is prescribed for a histological examination. An informative method is fibrogastroduadenoscopy.

Of course, the patient needs to pass a general blood test, blood on, in order to exclude inflammatory processes in the body. When the state of the body and the stomach is examined, the treatment is selected based on the stage of the pathology.

Treatment Methods

Symptoms and treatment for sphincter are closely related, since the goal of therapy is not only to overcome the pathological process, but also to save the patient from unpleasant symptoms. First of all, a diet is needed for cardia insufficiency, because it is by adjusting the diet that the load on the gastrointestinal tract is reduced.

People suffering from obesity need to lose weight urgently to reduce the load on the stomach. Therefore, you need to start with a diet: you will have to give up highly fatty foods, unhealthy foods (chips, crackers), smoked meats and spices. You need to eat little by little, observing the regularity of eating. The last meal should be 3 hours before bedtime. To get rid of conditions such as belching, heartburn and nausea, it is not recommended to lie down immediately after eating, it is better to walk or sit.

Symptomatic treatment is based on taking such drugs:

1. Reduces acidity and relieves heartburn of a group of antacids, among which are Almagel, Rennie, Ranitidine.
2. Omeprazole is prescribed to protect the gastric mucosa and fight inflammation.
3. With vomiting and nausea, drugs such as Regidron, Orsol, Normohydron help well, and with severe vomiting, Cerucal, Domperidone are indicated.
4. With severe pain, analgesics such as Solpodein, Panadol are prescribed.

With the threat of developing a stomach ulcer, or antibacterial agents may be indicated. In the treatment of pathology, you must take all prescribed medications, follow the instructions of the attending physician.

Important! The disease is so serious that it is even included in the list of diseases in which the army is contraindicated, that is, the diagnosis - often recurrent reflux esopharyngitis is included in Article 59 of the Schedule of Diseases, in which young men are exempted from military service.

If conservative treatment does not help or the patient's condition deteriorates sharply, then the doctor raises the question of performing an operation. The type of surgical intervention depends on the degree of damage to the sphincter. There are several types of operations, such as vagotomy (dissection of the nerve trunk), fundoplication (wrapping the bottom of the stomach around the esophagus, which prevents the reflux of gastric juice and bile into the esophagus) and pyroplasty.

When frequent heartburn, belching and bouts of nausea occur, it is necessary to visit a gastroenterologist to exclude a number of dangerous gastrointestinal pathologies, which include cardiac sphincter. After all, early diagnosis will help to do without surgery and taking harmful drugs.

Most people believe that heartburn is caused by overeating. The stomach cannot contain all the food and some of it remains in the lower part of the esophagus.

Aching pain and burning sensation are removed with baking soda. Frequent heartburn is a wake-up call. This is one of the symptoms of most types of gastritis and ulcers. If there is no pain, heaviness and irritation appear only after eating, the treatment can be a diet for insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach, special exercises and folk remedies. In any case, you need to see a doctor to establish the correct diagnosis. Mild discomfort "in the pit of the stomach" can develop into a serious gastrointestinal problem.

Heartburn as a cause of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach

The stomach produces hydrochloric acid and other enzymes to break down food. At the same time, it protects its walls with mucus from the effects of aggressive gastric juice. It is located between the neutrally filled esophagus and the alkali-containing intestine. With the weakening of the sphincter, a burning sensation appears. In the cardial lower section, alkali from the duodenal bulb enters the stomach cavity. Pain and burning appear in the navel. This is a symptom of inflammation of the lower part of the organ, where the acid is neutralized before the contents pass into the intestines.

Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach has similar symptoms, but the discomfort is localized in the epigastric region, the location of the cardiac - upper sphincter. Gastric juice enters the esophagus along with food and irritates the walls. With frequent attacks, burns can form.

Baking soda reacts with acid. It is advisable to drink it with a minimum amount of water, so as not to overfill the stomach even more. Pharmacies sell heartburn medicine without a prescription. It can be used if attacks are rare, 2-3 times a year. If reflux (release) occurs more often, then this means that pathology is formed in the upper part of the stomach, cardia insufficiency develops and treatment is required. Many patients, having heard the diagnosis of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach, are interested in what it is. Why, over time, the usual soda stopped helping and after taking it, it gets worse.

When taking soda, the acidity of gastric juice decreases. The glands begin to produce more hydrochloric acid in order to restore the normal level of acidity for food processing. With frequent intake of soda, the production of additional enzymes becomes the norm, acidity rises and gastritis or an ulcer occurs. As a result, heartburn worries more and more often, tissues are affected and insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach develops.

Causes of the release of contents into the esophagus

When swallowing solid food and liquid, the muscles of the esophagus ensure the movement of the mass towards the stomach and block the reverse movement. The primitive scheme of action of the esophagus looks like a circular contraction of the muscles and the movement of these rings in one direction. Therefore, food enters the stomach if a person not only sits, but lies, hangs upside down and is in weightlessness. In violation of the function of the sphincter and adjacent walls, cardia insufficiency develops. The causes of the formation of pathology are:

• Underdevelopment of the muscles of the stomach.
• Congenital defects of the esophagus.
• Increased pressure in the stomach.
• Binge eating.
• Stretching of the oblique muscle fibers as a result of tissue obesity.
• Gastritis, stomach ulcer.
• Dysmotility, strong gas formation, bloating.
• Scarring of the walls as a result of atrophic or diffuse gastritis after surgery.

At the end of the esophagus, at the transition to the stomach, there is a sphincter - an annular valve that blocks the exit of contents from the stomach back into the esophagus. With the weakening of his muscles, insufficiency of the rosette of the cardia develops. The hole does not close completely and the release of food and gastric juice is possible. The pressure in the stomach is several times higher than in the esophagus. Below the cardiac sphincter, a labial outgrowth is formed from the folds of the gastric mucosa. Its functional task is to close the entrance to the esophagus when the sphincter is opened for the passage of food and block the reverse movement. The pressure created in the cavity presses it down. With insufficiency of the cardia, the hole does not close completely.

What is insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach - this is a weakening or degeneration of the muscles of the esophageal sphincter and a violation of the size and plasticity of the mucous fold. Weakened or injured muscle tissues do not perform their functions well. This is a disease in the cardiac zone of the stomach, treatment is carried out by various methods. Cardiac insufficiency is often observed in newborns. This is such a habitual regurgitation after feeding, especially if you immediately put the crumbs. With the normal development of the body at about the age of 5 - 7 weeks, the valve is getting better.

During pregnancy, the growing fetus compresses and displaces the woman's internal organs. As a result, belching and heartburn may occur. Insufficiency of the cardia is a consequence of increased pressure in the stomach. After childbirth, the symptoms disappear, and the work of the stomach returns to normal.

Symptoms of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach

Chalazia - insufficiency of the cardia, has signs similar to many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This means that the release of gastric juice into the esophagus is characteristic of exacerbation and chronic course of most types of gastritis. Deficiency can be determined by the totality of the symptoms of the disease:

• Heartburn, the appearance of which depends more on physical exertion than on food intake and quality of products.
• When belching, air is released from the stomach into the esophagus.
• Pain in the epigastric region and in the abdominal cavity.
• Bloating, colic, rumbling.
• Nausea after eating.
• Vomiting with bile, bitterness in the mouth.
• With physical exertion, weakness, dizziness occurs.

Characteristic of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach is a dry cough, in which the diaphragm tenses and pains appear in the epigastric region, particles from the stomach enter the mouth. Over time, chronic bronchitis develops. Before treating cardia insufficiency, determine the severity of the disease. It is conventionally divided into 3 stages in the course of development.

1. The sphincter does not close completely, leaving an opening of about 30% of the valve diameter. The fold of the mucosa performs its functions and does not allow food to pass back. Belching happens often some time after eating, mostly with air.
2. The valve closes half way. The labial fold is underdeveloped. Heartburn and aching pain in the stomach are added to frequent burping with air.
3. The sphincter does not close. The mucosa in the cardiac region is atrophied. Frequent emissions of gastric juice burn the esophagus. At this stage of the disease, there is constant pain behind the sternum, vomiting with bile, weakness and dizziness.

In the last stage of cardiac insufficiency, acid is regularly released into the esophagus and injures the walls. Burns and ulcers form. They can bleed and lead to anemia. As a result of tissue scarring, the risk of developing a malignant tumor increases.

Treatment of upper sphincter muscle weakness

The attending physician analyzes the symptoms and prescribes treatment only after confirming the diagnosis with tests and examination. Whether it is possible to cure insufficiency of a cardia completely. At the first stage it is enough:

• Follow a diet.
• Take acid-reducing medications.
• Regularly exercise, do special exercises.
• Use folk remedies.

Gradually, the pressure in the stomach will decrease to normal. In the absence of irritating factors, the protective layer of the esophagus will be restored. The muscles will get stronger and will fully perform their functions as a one-way valve. Moderate severity requires medical treatment, constant monitoring by a gastroenterologist. To strengthen the muscles, the doctor prescribes drugs of the prokinetic group:

• Metoclopramide.
• Metamol.
• Raglan.
• Perinorm.

To reduce injury to the walls of acid, medicines for heartburn are prescribed. Most popular:

• Almagel.
• Ranitidine.

They replace baking soda, act softer, without causing negative effects. The dosage is determined by the attending physician and must be observed. In severe insufficiency, atrophied tissues and coarse scars have to be surgically removed. Often used suturing the walls of the valve, reducing the opening of the sphincter. After the operation, a long 2-3 months of therapeutic treatment with drugs. Constant adherence to a strict diet. Prevention of exacerbations by taking folk remedies.

Often insufficiency of the cardia and heartburn occur as a result of diseases of the stomach. Gastritis and ulcers occur mainly against the background of increased acidity. Motility of the stomach is disturbed. This means that food does not go through complete processing, it lingers and begins to ferment. The result is reflux. This means that the treatment of cardia insufficiency should begin with the disease that caused it.

You can reduce the pressure inside the stomach by normalizing body weight. This case is typical for obese people. The gastroenterologist refers the patient to a consultation with a nutritionist. Together they develop a menu and a meal schedule. As a result of reducing the amount of fat, the elasticity of muscle tissue is also restored. The valve starts working better.

Diet for frequent heartburn attacks

The first rule for a patient suffering from cardiac insufficiency is to eat in small portions so as not to overload the stomach and reduce the likelihood of ejection. The daily norm of products is divided into 5 - 6 meals. Dinner should consist of light meals. You should eat no later than 2 hours before bedtime. You can not lie down and sit hunched over after eating. The stomach should be free and vertical. From the diet should be excluded:

• Legumes.
• Sour berries and fruits.
• Citrus.
• Marinated products.
• Spices.
• Bold.
• Salty.
• Acute.
• Roast.
• Carbonated drinks.
• Fast food.
• Ice cream.
• Chocolate.
• Rough and hard foods.
• Hot bread.
• Juices and other foods with a long shelf life.
• Alcohol.

Food should be warm so as not to irritate the walls of the esophagus and stomach. The skins of apples, tomatoes and other similar fruits and vegetables should be peeled. Smoking, being in a room with a high content of dust and toxic fumes in the air harms the health of a patient with cardia insufficiency. Uncontrolled intake of medications can provoke insufficiency.

Do not take painkillers and antibiotics on your own. More attention should be paid to liquid food:

• Soups.
• Kiseli.

Food should be soft, easily digestible and not injure the walls of the esophagus and stomach. With a gastrointestinal disease, the menu includes:

• Steam cutlets.
• Meatballs.
• Lean meat boiled and stewed.
• Liquid porridge.
• Vegetable stew.
• Dairy products.
• Natural juices diluted with water.
• Compote.
• Vegetable and fruit salads.
• Souffle.

It is advisable to remove the skin from poultry and fish before cooking. Wash vegetables and fruits well and pour over with boiling water. Fresh is diluted with boiled water to lower the concentration of acids. The patient's diet menu for the day is calculated based on the daily calorie requirement of the body. Drugs are prescribed taking into account the number of meals. The doctor indicates the exact time of their intake, taking into account the acidity of the stomach and the environment in which they act most effectively.

Special exercises for cardia insufficiency

In the treatment of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach, strengthening the muscles with the help of special training and exercises is of great importance. You should start with daily walking, gradually moving to jogging. 2 - 5 times a day to carry out breathing exercises.

Exercises for cardia insufficiency are performed on a board with an inclination of 15 degrees. This angle is easy to determine by the position of the hour hand at 14-30 or 9-30. The head is at the top. After eating, 2 hours should pass. Begin classes with simple exercises that do not require much muscle tension. Gradually, the load increases. Lying on your back, you should inhale, strongly protruding and inflating your stomach. When exhaling, the abdominal muscles simply relax. At the next stage, the exercise is repeated on the right side. Then, when exhaling, you should draw in the stomach.

The second stage is the correct breathing while raising the legs and arms. Then, kneeling, bending the torso in different directions and moving on to complex exercises. The purpose of training is to strengthen the abdominal muscles and back. With the first, sphincter muscles develop. The second affects posture. With a straight back, the stomach is free. If a person stoops, then the internal organs are compressed, they feel uncomfortable.

After eliminating the symptoms of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach, gymnastic exercises can be complicated, and physical exertion on the body can be increased. You can not do weightlifting, lift weights. But swimming and skiing and skating will be beneficial.

Alternative methods of treatment of cardia insufficiency

For a long time, healers treated "for heartburn" - insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach, decoctions and juices of various plants:

• Plantain.
• Caraway.
• Calamus root.
• Dandelion flowers.
• Fresh cabbage juice.
• Yarrow.
• St. John's wort.
• Flax seed.
• Motherwort.
• Mint.
• Chamomile.

Peppermint and cold mint relieve bouts of nausea. Cabbage and plantain juice normalize acidity, speed up food processing, eliminating fermentation and bloating. As a result, burping attacks stop. With low acidity, brine and sauerkraut juice are used. Flax seed envelops the inner surface, protects the walls of the stomach and esophagus from the effects of hydrochloric acid in case of cardia insufficiency, gastritis and ulcers.

Chamomile is a well-known antiseptic. It relieves inflammation in the stomach and cardia outlet, promotes tissue repair. Calendula has long been used for stomach discomfort and female inflammation. For the treatment of insufficiency of the cardia and other diseases of the stomach, herbal preparations are used. They are usually based on chamomile and mint, then other components are added: St. John's wort, yarrow, elecampane or motherwort. In the pharmacy, you can buy ready-made gastric collection and brew it.

Anatomically, the esophagus is separated from the stomach by the cardiac sphincter, which is considered a structural block of the reverse passage of food. If this important element of the digestive tract is relaxed, unable to hold food, or half closed, a serious pathology occurs. The affected side raises the question of how to treat insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach.

Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach - causes

Such a pathological process does not occur in a vacuum. Gastroenterologists identify those provoking factors that become the main cause of an acute attack. The study of the etiology of the pathological process and the collection of anamnesis data help to quickly and correctly determine the diagnosis, and start treatment in a timely manner. So, the main causes of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach are as follows:

• overeating, eating disorders;
• obesity;
• the presence in the daily diet of fatty foods before bedtime;
• adynamia;
• hiatal hernias;
• increased intra-abdominal pressure;
• peptic ulcer, gastritis, tumors, hypertonicity of the stomach and other pathologies of the digestive tract;
• increased pressure in the stomach cavity;
• complication after resection of the cardiac sphincter;
• previous surgical interventions of the digestive tract;
• pregnancy, ascites;
• prolonged physical activity, as an indirect factor in the insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach;
• pyloric spasm.

Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach - symptoms

The disease is considered acquired, develops in several successive stages. In the first degree, insufficiency of the lower esophageal sphincter is accompanied by short-term attacks of belching, which only become more frequent as the pathological process progresses. There is a moderate non-closure of the cardia, which in the second degree of the disease is supplemented by prolapse of the gastric mucosa. But with the third degree of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach, persistent symptoms of esophagitis occur. In this way, you can identify the degree of pathology, determine the treatment regimen.

If we talk about pronounced symptoms, the characteristic signs of insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach can be confused with other extensive lesions of the digestive tract. In any case, the patient should pay attention to specific changes in general well-being, after which timely seek help from a gastroenterologist. The symptoms of the disease are:

• pain in the epigastric region;
• frequent dizziness;
• bitter taste in the mouth;
• spasms of the pyloric valve;
• vomiting with bile;
• general weakness;
• belching with a sour taste;
• nausea, lack of appetite;
• increased heartburn;
• rumbling in the intestines;
• burning pain behind the sternum;
• functional disorders of the digestive system.

Insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach - treatment

The disease is prone to a chronic course, i.e. there are no single attacks, gastroenterologists do not exclude repeated relapses, each time only becoming more frequent. Effective treatment of the cardia of the stomach begins with the search for the root cause of the dysfunction of the digestive organs. In addition, it provides for the correction of excess weight, a therapeutic diet, the normalization of intra-abdominal pressure, the use of medicines and folk recipes for the relief of pain. It is problematic to cure the disease, but it is quite realistic to extend the period of remission by conservative methods.

Insufficiency of cardiac sphincter requires a certain lifestyle and compliance with the rules established by doctors. If the cardiac sphincter has ceased to close, its contents partially or completely fall out. The patient has to constantly sleep with his head elevated, get rid of tight clothes, control the daily menu, avoid frequent body tilts and excessive physical exertion, and take multivitamin complexes.

The main goal of taking medications by the patient is to significantly increase the tone of the muscular apparatus of the stomach, to productively suppress acute pain attacks in case of recurrent insufficiency of the stomach cardia. To achieve this goal, the complex treatment regimen includes representatives of the following pharmacological groups:

• parkinetics: Raglan, Perinorm, Metoclopramide, Metamol;
• painkillers: Ibuprom, Ibuprofen, Analgin, Tempalgin;
• antibiotics: if you suspect an increased activity of Helicobacter pylori;
• enveloping preparations: Omeprazole;
• heartburn medicines: Smecta, Gaviscon, Almagel, Ranitidine.

Diet for insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach

To alleviate the condition when the insufficiency of the cardia socket progresses, it is required to eat in small portions, preferably at the same time of day. Do not overload the stomach, otherwise the sphincter will stop closing. Non-closure may be incomplete, but this does not mean at all that there is no pathology. Therapeutic nutrition for insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach has the following features:

1. The patient needs to be in an upright position for 2 hours after eating - you can sit and walk, but not lie down.
2. Semi-liquid cereals and low-fat soups are the basis of the diet when chalazia cardia is diagnosed.
3. Sour, fatty, salty, fried, spicy foods, coffee and chocolate are prohibited so that the hypotension of the cardia does not worsen.
4. The patient must completely abandon destructive habits, exclude the consumption of carbonated water.
5. It is forbidden to eat too cold and hot dishes, systematically overeat before going to bed.
6. The patient should have a feeling of an incomplete stomach after each meal, moreover, it is shown to exclude late dinners, night snacks.

Exercises for insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach

The lack of cardiac sphincter can be eliminated by moderate exercise. Exercise daily, thereby ensuring normal muscle tone. The proposed exercises for insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach should be selected individually, based on the physical fitness of the patient, the characteristics of the pathological process. The need for such activities is as follows:

• development of abdominal muscles;
• strengthening the vertebral muscles;
• long walks in the fresh air to maintain the tone of the whole organism.

Cardia insufficiency - treatment with folk remedies

If the cardia does not close, not all patients choose official medicine for successful treatment. With insufficient cardiac sphincter, you can use alternative medicine recipes, but first consult with a gastroenterologist to avoid the development of an allergic reaction. Preliminary diagnostics is necessary, based on the passage of FGDS for a more detailed study of the focus of pathology on the monitor screen. After the final diagnosis is made, the treatment of cardia insufficiency with folk remedies provides for the following areas:

1. Combine herbs of St. John's wort, valerian and motherwort in one container in equal proportions, steam a tablespoon of raw materials in a glass of boiling water. Infuse, strain, take orally with the addition of honey.
2. Squeeze plantain juice from fresh leaves, take it in a concentrated form, a teaspoon before each meal during the acute stage. So the progressive insufficiency of the cardia of the stomach will come to naught - what it is, the patient will forget for a long time.
3. If the cardia of the stomach is gaping, you can use the juice of dandelion flowers, a decoction of the root of marsh calamus, cumin tincture, and water infusions of medicinal herbs for treatment.

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