A 46-year-old man came to our clinic seeking relief from GERD (a.k.a. acid reflux). This reflux acupuncture case demonstrates the effectiveness of acupuncture and Chinese herbs in treating GERD, reflux, and gastritis.
Reflux Acupuncture Case
Our patient had the following daily symptoms: stomach pain, burning sensation in his chest and throat, worse lying down and after meals. Prilosec helped initially, but over time lost its effectiveness. Elimination diets were not effective. He had limited his diet so much over the past year, removing one food at a time to no avail. Coming to acupuncture was his last resort – he was desperate.
Other Presenting Symptoms
When a patient comes to our clinic with a Western medicine diagnosis, we ask the patient a series of questions – what we call the 10 Questions. This line of questioning gives us an overall view of their health and daily function. Our patient ran on the warm side, not to the point of spontaneous sweating, but he was the one wearing a t-shirt when others were in sweaters.
His head was clear – no headaches or dizziness. Same with the lungs – no wheezing or shortness of breath. He was prone to anxiety, racing heart, and palpitations, especially when facing a challenging situation (work presentation, conflict with wife). Digestion was clearly a problem, given his acid reflux. He also had bloating pain after meals and a history of constipation.
Sleep was an issue – he had difficulty falling asleep and tended to feel anxious before bed. He also tended to wake up around 2:00 a.m. and had difficulty falling back to sleep. He was a worrier and would spend hours lying in bed thinking about the problems in his life. As a result, he was often tired during the day. His neck and shoulders were constantly tight as well – that’s where he carried his stress. Finally, his pulse was wiry, and his tongue had a thick white coating.
Chinese Medicine Diagnosis & Treatment
We determined that his Chinese medicine diagnosis was Acid Reflux due to Liver Overacting on Stomach and Heart Yin Deficiency. His acupuncture point prescription included: ST36, SP4, PC6, LV3, CV12, CV14, ST21, Si chen cong, and Yintang. We alternated treating him face up and face down. On the back, we used the points: GB20, GB21, GV20, BL15, BL18, BL21, and BL25.
The root cause of his reflux was stress and heat accumulating in the body and overacting on the stomach. This, in turn, led to an imbalance in the stomach, producing too much acid. Poor sleep and stress aggravated this condition, so we had to treat these conditions as well.
Results
After four treatments (once a week), our patient had 50% less reflux. This reflux acupuncture case is fairly typical as far as the quickness of response. Once acupuncture reduced his stress and anxiety and strengthened his stomach, the reflux naturally started to decrease. At the same time, his energy and sleep quality improved.
We continued to treat him once a week for another four sessions, after which his acid reflux was 80% resolved. Two more sessions had him completely better. We suggested he come in once a month for the next three months to make sure his healing was consolidated – which he agreed to. During that time, his reflux did not return. He now comes in quarterly for maintenance.
Next Steps
This reflux acupuncture case lays out the typical way we approach treating reflux and GERD. We have a high success rate tackling this thorny condition. If you have stomach pain, come in and try acupuncture.
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What our Clients are Saying
I’ve been coming to Raleigh Acupuncture for the last month and I have nothing but good things to say. They are so knowledgable about the whole body and care for the whole body. I have been taking acid reflux meds for years now every night. If I didn’t take them I had so many problems (burning, hurting stomach, waking up from pain in the middle of the night, etc.). After just the first treatment I was only having to take meds every other day. After 4 treatments now, I take medicine maybe every 3-4 days. The acupuncture has made more of a difference than anything else, and I am so thankful to have found Raleigh Acupuncture.
Thanks Mark for helping relieve my gastroparesis! The nausea, stomach pain, and reflux were driving me crazy. With your help and dedication I’m feeling so much better. Recommended!
Fantastic results for my acid reflux! No more burning pain, and I can eat alot more foods. Great job Raleigh Acupuncture! I’m sending all my friends to you!
I was diagnosed with GERD (acid reflux) 12 years ago and was put on medication at that time. The medication (Prilosec) eased my symptoms but I still always had some level of daily discomfort. I read an article about Chinese medicine being able to cure GERD and decided to explore my options. Raleigh Acupuncture had a good website and reviews so I booked an appointment. Their intake was very thorough and afterward they treated me with acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Within three treatments I was feeling much less symptoms of the GERD, less pain and burning. Within nine treatments my condition was completely resolved. It’s been a year since my last treatment and the GERD has not reappeared. This should be mandatory for all patients suffering from acid reflux. It does not make any sense to take medications for your whole life when a condition can be cured in a month for less than $500.
My acid reflux meds stopped working about three months ago and someone suggested acupuncture so I gave it a try. I couldn’t eat anything without having burning pain from my stomach up into my chest. What a relief from the acupuncture! They totally cured my reflux. I’ve been living with this, just managing it with medications, when all the while I could have cured it with this. Absolutely amazing! I love Raleigh Acupuncture!!
