How Can Acupuncture Help Treat Acid Reflux?

According to various studies, including this one here, acupuncture can assist your body in the fight against acid reflux. Acupuncture has been shown to improve the way the lower esophageal sphincter performs, which holds an important role in keeping stomach acid away from the chest area. Furthermore, acupuncture has been shown to help with conditions that traditional medicine can’t. One of these conditions is a gastroesophageal disease called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, also called GERD. Unfortunately, GERD does not always respond to proton pump inhibitors, otherwise known as PPIs. Doctors traditionally prescribe PPIs as a way to decrease the production of stomach acid – but when that doesn’t work, people are left to suffer with painful symptoms. Scientific researchers say that regular acupuncture sessions can help improve refractory GERD, which is great news for sufferers, especially those who aren’t responding to PPIs. Additional research on acupuncture has found that it may be more effective than a type of PPI called omeprazole. According to a study on the effectiveness of acupuncture on GERD, the thirty patients treated with acupuncture were positively impacted. The study found that acupuncture effectively inhibited the intraesophageal acid and bile reflux in those patients. As a result, patients who were treated with acupuncture felt better and their symptoms were relieved.

Use Acupuncture with PPIs for Even Better Results

While acupuncture is an alternative to PPIs, it can also be used in conjunction with them. In fact, regular acupuncture sessions work even better when combined with healthy eating, exercise, and some traditional medications, including PPIs. That said, it’s always best to consult with your doctor and acupuncturist to find the best course of action. Your acupuncturist will work with you to get to the root cause of your acid reflux and find the best course of action to address the issue.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a treatment that helps with symptoms like pain, illness, emotional distress and hormonal imbalance, by increasing circulation and reducing inflammation. The key to understanding acupuncture is that it addresses these ailments as a whole. In other words, it recognizes that insomnia, anxiety, pain, migraines and other issues are the result of fundamental functions within the body that are not working properly. Therefore, acupuncture is not putting the proverbial band-aid on the wound. Instead, acupuncture is about healing the wound from the inside out.

What are the Symptoms of GERD?

GERD is a painful condition associated with acid reflux. For those suffering from it, symptoms are made worse during stressful periods or when certain foods are consumed. Quitting smoking, curbing drinking, and losing weight may help alleviate some of the symptoms of GERD. If GERD isn’t controlled, it can lead to other conditions, including esophagitis, and, in very severe circumstances, esophageal cancer.

Symptoms of GERD

Digestive Issues
Back pain
Sleep issues
Headache
Sour stomach
Chest pain
Trouble swallowing
Throat ache/Hoarse throat

Relaxation Can Help Calm GERD Symptoms

Relaxation is key for people with GERD. That’s because stress makes the condition even worse. Stress increases stomach acid and slows digestion, which is bad for GERD. By limiting stress, you can help your body. Massage, meditation, deep breathing, and yoga may all be helpful when combined with regular acupuncture sessions.

What Can You Expect from an Acupuncture Session?

If you choose to attend an acupuncture session or sessions to deal with acid reflux and GERD, there are a few things you should expect.

The First Session

Your acupuncturist will first ask a few questions, including what symptoms you’re trying to alleviate. How is your acid reflux and indigestion affecting your life? Where do you feel pain and discomfort? Your practitioner will come up with the best personalized treatment plan for you. Also let them know what medications you’re taking, including any antacids, oils, or herbal medications. You should also take this initial meeting as an opportunity to ask any lingering questions or concerns you may have about acupuncture and how it helps with acid reflux.

What Treatment is Like

The treatment begins when your practitioner inserts a long, thin needle into a predetermined treatment zone, known as a pressure point. Your acupuncturist chose to insert the needle into that exact point based on your symptoms. From there your acupuncturist may do additional body work or use additional tools, including using an electrical pulse or guasha.

Repeat for the Best Results Acupuncture triggers your body to respond differently and often requires multiple treatments. My goal is that with each treatment you feel changes and differences. Because acupuncture triggers the body with each subsequent treatment, your results should get bigger and last longer. Especially when it comes to helping with symptoms of acid reflux, indigestion and stomach pain, repeated acupuncture sessions are needed in order to see results. According to the study linked above, patients saw relief after repeated sessions over a month-long period.

How can you find a qualified Acupuncturist in Raleigh, North Carolina?

If you’re searching for a qualified Acupuncturist in Raleigh, North Carolina, you’ll want to find someone with experience, qualifications, and compassion. Look no further than Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center. Our goal since 2010 has been to provide quality and compassionate acupuncture in Raleigh, NC and the surrounding areas. Much like the balance that Acupuncture provides for your body, we provide our patients with balanced care: the highest quality healthcare, while at the same time focusing on compassionate services that treat you, the patient, with holistic, individualized treatment.

Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center for all of your Acupuncture needs

Hi, I’m Jim Eleczko, the founder of Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center and it’s my mission to provide you with compassionate, whole-person care using holistic treatments, including Acupuncture. I’m a board-certified and licensed Acupuncturist practicing since 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina. I love that I get to wake up every day to make meaningful changes in my patient’s lives. I’ve seen first hand the changes that Acupuncture can make. As a teen I suffered from allergies and my father suggested that I try Acupuncture to calm the symptoms. It worked – and left a lasting impression on me! Now I offer Acupuncture and other treatments to help people with a variety of issues, including anxiety, migraines, fibromyalgia, and more. Our other treatments include Dry Needling, Tuina Massage, Guasha, Cupping, Stretching, Orthopedic Movements, Electroacupuncture and Therapeutic Exercises.

Here’s a bit more about me and my qualifications: I studied the 4-year program at Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine and continue to travel multiple times a year to study with my mentor, Andrew Nugent-Head. I also studied under Dr. Ed Garbacz, M.D. LAc and spent a year working and studying under Dr. Bonnie Walker, M.D. LAc. I have also done extensive post-graduate studies in acupuncture, nutrition, herbal medicine from lectures of acupuncturists like Dr. Nguyen Van Nghi, Dr. Tran Viet Dzung, Matt Callison, and Edward Obaidey.

Get in touch with me by calling (919) 260-4104. I’d be happy to answer your questions and get you booked for an appointment today!