Summer’s heat and rain can bring digestive troubles such as heartburn or acid reflux, bloating, diarrhea and many discomforts. Today, let’s explore how Traditional Chinese Medicine can help with acid reflux, a typical summertime complaint.
What causes Acid Reflux?
There are various causative factors of heartburn, including over-eating, drinking coffee, consumption of acidic fruit juices, fatty and spicy foods and chocolate. Smoking, being overweight, eating late at night, and a stressful lifestyle are also common causes of acid reflux.
Conventional medical treatments include over-the-counter or prescribed antacids or acid reducers to neutralize or suppress the stomach’s acid production. These medications can be beneficial but often give side effects such as diarrhea, constipation, cramps and changes in bowel movements.
How does Traditional Chinese Medicine help with Acid Reflux?
⚡️ Unlike conventional medicine, which views this as a single pathological process similar in all cases, TCM’s perspective is that different people present with other types of acid reflux. The most common patterns I found in my practice are food stagnation, liver Qi stagnation, and Spleen Qi deficiency.
Food Stagnation
It can be due to many factors: high protein diets, poor diets, food allergies/sensitivities, overeating, etc. The herbal formula Bao He Wan resolves food stasis, harmonizes the stomach, descends the stomach qi, clears heat, dispels dampness and promotes digestion.
Liver Qi Stagnation
This TCM pattern presentation is perhaps the most commonly discussed pattern of disharmony. The formula medicine Chai Hu Shu Gan San soothes the Liver, activates the stomach qi, invigorates the blood, harmonizes the Spleen and Liver, and stops pain.
Spleen Qi Deficiency
Some people with this condition experience strong cravings for sugary foods and starches, and may also have loose stools and nausea. I frequently use the Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang formula to strengthen the digestive system with damp accumulation, which causes loose stool.
❤️ It’s important to remember that long-term management of acid reflux often involves lifestyle modifications. These include sleeping better, quitting smoking, and incorporating stress management techniques. Addressing these factors alongside potential TCM interventions can create a more comprehensive approach to managing acid reflux.
