Heartburn. A painful condition that can turn into a serious problem

Acupuncture and Heartburn/Reflux

Acid reflux is also known as heartburn and is the burning sensation experienced in the chest area which is caused when the gastric acid present in the stomach rises up into the esophagus. The location of this pain can be behind the breastbone and in the esophagus. Other commonly known symptoms of acid reflux usually comprises of chest pain, hoarseness in the voice, dental corrosion, food regurgitation and difficulty in swallowing.

The cause of acid reflux is due to the malfunctioning of the lower esophageal sphincter that lies in the stomach which allows the acid to flow up into the esophagus. The major cause of the dysfunctional esophageal sphincter can be due to pregnancy, overeating, certain food allergies, hernia, peptic ulcers, smoking, alcohol consumption, and constipation.

Acupuncture is an effective treatment for helping to relieve acid reflux or heartburn. One of the studies conducted in this subject is from the University of Adelaide. The stimulation of some of the major acupuncture points of the wrist can help in relaxing the muscle band and thus eventually relieving the regurgitation. Certain people whose cause of heartburn is due to external factors such as stress and anxiety can immensely benefit by using acupuncture as this treatment focuses on offering a relaxing effect to the body. Acupuncture treatments for acid reflux depend  upon the symptoms that are presented at the time of diagnoses. We take an individualized case history and the diagnosis is based on that information. In acute cases of heartburn, only a few treatment sessions will be required whereas for chronic cases more will be needed. It is important that you get regular treatments over a several months period so that you can achieve permanent relief from the symptoms. The acupuncture treatment sessions can last for twelve weeks or more. Acupuncture treatments emphasizes that the human body has its own power to heal for which this treatment exploits in a natural way.

It is important that you add appropriate lifestyle changes so that you can keep acid reflux at bay. We stress that all of us should have healthy eating habits, concentrate on having food at regular intervals and try to minimize the stress in our life’s. Quitting smoking can be an important factor in combating heartburn. Some people are of the view that the medication that helps to control acid reflux is also doing them no harm but in many cases this is not true.

We also like to combine other treatment methods with acupuncture. Acupuncture is a holistic method and this treatment and can reduce the pain and symptoms as it returns the body to its normal functioning. As with most conditions that we treat in this Clinic we like to combine traditional Chinese medicine with Chinese herb herbal formulas.

References:
Natural Therapy Pages
Heartburn Articles

Tagged as: Heartburn and Reflux