What is the Meaning & Definition of reflux

The word reflux refers to the process through which a fluid is returned or returns to its starting point. This term is used frequently in medical slang, since reflux involves a failure which makes the content of a given cavity or structure is returned which is a manifestation of a pathological condition or disease.
There are several types of ebbs, according to the structure in which it is located, these are:
Gastroesophageal reflux. It is the type of more frequent and best-known reflux, occurs when the stomach contents back into the esophagus instead of his normal route to the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum; This type of reflux is due to the incompetence of sphincter that is located between the esophagus and the stomach called esophageal sphincter disorders or below, such as hiatal hernia, the pressure increase intra-abdominal obesity or pregnancy, as well as the habit of lying down immediately after a meal. Gastro-oesophageal reflux can occur also as side effect by the use of some medications for high blood pressure, dizziness, depression, or hormone treatments. The main manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux are the burning pain behind the breastbone, cough, sore throat and hoarseness. This type of reflux deserves treatment, since the acid contents of the stomach in its rise is able to injure the esophagus causing an injury that is known as Barrett's esophagus, this is a pre-malignant condition which be not treated can lead to esophageal cancer.
Pharyngolaryngeal reflux. In some patients the contents of the stomach can ascend to the esophagus and from there move to the larynx reaching vocal irritating them, these people have episodes of pain in the throat, hoarseness, scratchy throat and cough after eating or at bedtime, a curious fact the vast majority of these patients do not refer the above classic symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux making it difficult to make this diagnosis. In children, this type of reflux is cause of respiratory infections and asthma.
Vesicoureteral reflux. In this type of reflux of urine in the bladder back into the ureter and may reach the kidney, this can occur asymptomatically, i.e., without whom suffer it experience symptoms or discomfort, but can also be the cause of urinary tract infections high as pyelonephritis, which are accompanied by pain in the lumbar region, pain, and burning urination and fever.
Vascular reflux. Blood may also return form pathological giving rise to a reflux, that occurs when the valve system of veins or heart are insufficient in its function of preventing blood return. On routes venous leg diseases like varicose veins produce abnormal dilation of the veins that make that valvular system does not close completely which makes part of the fluid return provided by gravity, this produces discomfort such as heaviness and fatigue in the legs and swelling at the level of the ankle. In the heart, there is also a system of valves that have function to prevent blood flowing so retrograde from the ventricles into the Atria or the arteries pulmonary and aorta to the ventricles, the inadequacy of these valves may occur due to dilation of the heart's Chambers by diseases such as high blood pressure, heart failure or Chagas disease , either by direct involvement of valves that may occur due to complication of infections such as endocarditis or rheumatic fever.