Bolus

A bolus is a lumpy or fine-grained substance that is not completely absorbed by the body.

Boluses are a medical term used to describe semi-solid particles of food during a meal. They are formed during the process of chewing and movement in the stomach. Typically, boluses consist of a mixture of saliva, vegetable oils, enzymes and other substances.

In some cases, boluses can be abnormally large and even hazardous to health. This occurs mainly in diseases of the esophagus and stomach, such as reflux esophagitis. In this case, boluses are formed due to the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus and cause damage to its mucous membrane. Reflux can cause symptoms such as burning pain behind the breastbone, heartburn, or belching. Pain in the area behind the breastbone may be the result of stomach contents entering the esophagus. Sclerosis is a disease that is characterized by hardening and decreased elasticity of the esophageal walls and can cause the formation of boluses. With sclerosis, enlarged muscle tissue cannot compress the gastric contents and prevents its normal movement and irritation of the stomach walls. People with this condition have trouble swallowing and pain after eating. These problems can lead to limiting or completely stopping the consumption of solid and especially protein foods. Boluses can also form due to nervous tension, stress and depression.

The formation of a bolus can also be caused by mechanical factors. For example, the use of certain medications, alcohol, consumption of rough, hard-to-digest food or the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in it can provoke the formation of boluses and their accumulation in the stomach, which, in turn, can lead to various diseases associated with the formation and gelatinous nature of gastric mucus, the reasons for its appearance will be discussed below.