Acid reflux is a pretty common condition that most of us have felt at one time or another. Some may experience this for longer periods of time causing a huge disruption in your life style. The good news is that it can be treated effectively to help you get relief.
Treating mild Acid Reflux is as easy as taking an over-the-counter tablet that reduces acidity in the stomach. This is usually enough to take care of the immediate symptom, but it doesn’t address the cause. The actual physiological problem that causes Acid Reflux is when the small valve between the esophagus and the stomach, known as the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES), fails to properly close and acid from the stomach leaks up past it. When this happens regularly, or when a person hasn’t eaten too much food, then there is a problem.
The most common treatment in modern Western medicine is to have someone take a drug that limits the production of acid in the stomach. This can lead to problems absorbing nutrients over time. It also doesn’t treat the actual problem, resulting in a re-occurrence after coming off the medication. An alternative is to look to acupuncture and herbal remedies.
Alternative Methods of Treating Acid Reflux
Herbal remedies work differently than modern antacids because they help address the root cause of the issue. The majority of Acid Reflux cases are caused not by too much acid, but by the LES not properly closing. This is often either a chronic or stress-induced condition. When stress causes the LES to spasm more often than it should acid reduction medicine is treating the wrong problem. A better solution in these cases is to treat the stress itself.
Another solution is to look at lifestyle changes that need to be made. These often include diet changes, exercise, meditation, yoga, an anything else that supports a healthier body. Identifying foods that can possibly be irritating your digestion will also help your gut, which in turn will also help reduce the likelihood of acid reflux. Another lifestyle change that can help reduce the symptoms of acid reflux is to eat smaller meals throughout the day and to make sure to eat dinner at least 2 hours before going to bed.
Acupuncture is another great alternative approach to help address the root cause of your symptoms. It will also significantly reduce stress and anxiety by calming down the sympathetic nervous system. Acupuncture points along the meridians and in the ear that relate to the digestive tract can further aid in harmonizing digestion, reducing spasms, and help you have less instances of acid reflux.
A tea made from turmeric is used to reduce the over-production of stomach acid. Orange peel and Ginger are often used to assist in lowering acid reflux symptoms.
If you’re ready to move on from constantly taking antacids in Boulder, CO the contact Hummingbird Community Acupuncture. We’ll work with you and your unique situation to find the best treatment.
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20697939
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4869308/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4869308/
