The esophagus is not able to cope with acid as well as the stomach and gets injured easily. But why it happens in some people and not in other is isn't clear. Another major factor in making GERD symptoms worse are meals. Any very large meal might be expected to produce heartburn in some people. This happens because food fills the stomach and induces more transient relaxations of the lower esophageal sphincter.
Meals also stimulate the stomach to produce more acid that can reflux up into the esophagus.
However, spicy foods necessarily only are not the problem-causing agents, though many people attribute their sympotms, like belching and heartburn to them. Many GERD sufferers end up on a very restricted diet or end up blaming their symptoms on dietary indiscretion. If it doesn't, GERD sufferers shouldn't feel that they are doing something wrong. Impaired tissue resistance Increased abdominal pressure due to pregnancy and obesity. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.