Esophagus Background:

The esophagus plays an important role in the human digestive system. It is the tube of muscle that connects the throat and the stomach. When food is ingested, it is passed into the esophagus from the throat. The esophagus then has the job of moving it into the stomach. It does so by contracting; the contractions push food through the tube into the stomach for digestion.

Lower Esophageal Sphincter:

The lower esophageal sphincter is the muscle that connects the esophagus to the stomach. It is at the very bottom of the esophagus. A properly working lower esophageal sphincter works to keep any stomach acids out of the esophagus. If an individual develops chronic reflux, it is because their lower esophageal muscle is not shutting quickly enough after passing the food into the stomach, allowing the stomach acids to run through the body backwards.