Why Do So Many Of Us Have Gerd?

[IDreamInColor]

I was diagnosed with gerd a few months ago, before I knew I had pots. I've noticed quite a few of you have mentioned having this as well, is there a connection? Why would pots cause gerd?

[Allene]

The way I understand it is this:

The vagus nerve is a nerve that runs throughout the body. It's got its finger in everybody's pie. It goes into the lungs, the heart, the esophagus, the stomach, digestive system in general, the legs, and whatnot. It means "The Wanderer" in Latin, and words like "vagabond" share the root-word. It's part of the autonomic nervous system. It helps control blood pressure by constricting the blood vessels in your legs when you go to stand from a sitting or lying position. It aids in swallowing and other digestive functions. It has some control over the heart. Since the autonomic nervous system is out of whack, the vagus nerve is, from what I've seen, involved 100% of the time.

So, considering all of this, it basically explains almost all of our problems. But specifically, it can cause problems anywhere along the digestive tract. Some people have difficulty swallowing. Some people have acid reflux or GERD. Some people have IBS or other bowel problems. Often, we are struck with more than one of these ailments. I have bizarre swallowing issues, acid reflux, and IBS all rolled together.

I'm not entirely sure the hows, I just know the whys. So I can't really tell you how the vagus nerve does this, just that it does.