Sphincter muscles are one of the most important and prominent muscles of the body, their health benefits are indispensable, and if they lose their function, the body is exposed to many problems, and because they are of such importance, we had to touch on them and explain to you everything related to the sphincter muscles in your body and their most important functions and most famous diseases, so follow this article with us and you will discover all of this.

What are sphincter muscles?

The sphincter muscle is circular muscles that can open or close some parts of the body when substances or fluids pass through them in a valve-like function. This may happen voluntarily or involuntarily, so a person can control and control it voluntarily whenever he wants, or Other systems in the body control it, such as the autonomic nervous system.

Where is it located?

These muscles are located in different areas of the body, but most of these muscles are found in the digestive system, in addition to other areas of the body such as the eye, urinary tract, and bile duct.

How many sphincter muscles in the body?

There are a lot of these muscles in the human body, the number of these muscles is not less than 50 or 60 sphincters. Some of the sphincter muscles are completely and involuntarily controlled by the autonomic nervous system, while others are directly controlled in response to various stimuli.

Types of sphincter muscles and their function

As we explained, there is more than one sphincter muscle in the body, so we will show you the most famous of these muscles and their precise locations so that you can know the location of each of them.

Sphincter muscles of the digestive tract

Inside the digestive system, there are 6 different sphincter muscles that control the passages of the digestive system, and each of them has its own function. These muscles are:

1- The upper esophageal sphincter

It is also known as the upper esophageal muscle or the lower pharynx, because it is located at the end of the pharynx and throat and the beginning of the esophagus. This muscle opens as food and drink approach it. It has several very important functions for your body, such as:

• Protecting the entrance to the esophagus in the body, which transports food and drink from the throat to the stomach.
• Helps prevent air from entering the esophagus during breathing.
• They help prevent inhalation or entry of any food or drink into the respiratory tract.
• The location of this muscle makes it control the process of vomiting or belching.

That is why the upper esophageal muscle is considered one of the most important muscles in the body, and any problem or defect that occurs in it exposes the person to health symptoms and complications. For example, this condition is considered part of the gastroesophageal reflux disease, which leads to stomach acids returning to the throat and airway.

2- The lower esophageal sphincter

Also known as the lower esophageal sphincter or the cardiac sphincter, it is located in the lower part of the esophagus and meets the stomach. This muscle has several functions of its own, such as:

• Allowing food and drinks to pass from the esophagus into the stomach.
• Allow the air to escape from the stomach during the belching process.
• Preventing stomach acids from returning to the esophagus, as it helps keep acids out of the esophagus.

In view of these important functions, any defect that occurs in this muscle exposes the body to many complications, the most famous of which is gastroesophageal reflux.

3- pyloric sphincter;

This muscle is located at the end of the stomach and the beginning of the duodenum, that is, it separates them, and the function of this muscle is to allow the passage of partially digested food from the stomach and duodenum, in order for it to be digested better and stronger, and the body absorbs the rest of the nutrients in it.

4- Sphincter of Oddi

This muscle is the one that connects between the bile duct and the pancreatic duct and the duodenum, as the bile duct’s job is to transport bile to the duodenum, and the pancreatic duct’s job is to carry digestive enzymes to the duodenum.

This muscle opens after eating foods to allow the passage of bile from the gallbladder, and the passage of digestive enzymes from the pancreas. Thus, the body can break down the components and contents of food in order to absorb them.

In the event of any problem in this muscle, it may lead to the problem of Audi’s defect, and therefore the muscle does not work well, correctly, and healthy, and the person may be exposed to complications and bouts of pain.

5- ileal sphincter;

This muscle is the one that connects the small intestine with the large intestine, as it is located where they meet together. This muscle may be relatively unknown from the rest of the sphincter muscles. One of the most important functions that scientists believe for this muscle is to allow the expulsion of the product of the initial digestion of food from the small intestine to the large intestine.

6- Anal sphincter muscle

This muscle is located at the end of the rectum, that is, at the end of the alimentary canal. This muscle has a very important function, which is regulating the process of emptying and the exit of stool from the body, and it consists of:

• The internal anal sphincter, this muscle is under involuntary control, and it prevents any leakage of stool from the body.
• The external anal sphincter, which is the muscle that allows the bowel movement to empty the stool, is under voluntary control.

This muscle, if any problem or defect occurs, may cause stool leakage, which is a well-known health condition known as fecal incontinence.

The urethral sphincter

This muscle is also known as the urinary sphincter or the urethral sphincter muscle. This muscle has an important function, which is to control the retention of urine or its excretion and emptying out of the body. This muscle also contains two components like the anal sphincter muscle, namely:

• Internal urinary sphincter muscle, this muscle has involuntary control.
• External urinary sphincter muscle, and this muscle has voluntary control.

The iris sphincter

This muscle is located in the eye, and is also known as the pupillary sphincter or the pupillary sphincter, and it is the muscle that controls and regulates the closing of the pupil of the eye.

Diseases caused by sphincter muscle damage

As we explained in the previous lines, any defect or problem that occurs in any sphincter muscle in the body can cause complications and symptoms, as well as various diseases and health conditions, depending on the location of the muscle that is impaired and does not work properly.

Among the most common diseases that occur due to a defect in the sphincter muscles:

How to keep sphincter muscles healthy

There are no known steps or specific and specific details that can be done to maintain the health of the sphincter muscles in the body, but in the event of any health symptoms indicating a problem in any sphincter muscle in your body, it is necessary to refer to a specialized doctor to know the causes and methods of treatment. Some treatment methods may be as simple as simple exercise, or surgical intervention may be required to treat the condition and save the muscle.