Getting Rid of GERD
In my last post, we discussed heartburn and reflux so today I’m going to take the conversation a bit further to talk about GERD.
Gastro oesophageal reflux disease is a very common problem. Up to 25% of the population of the United States has had symptoms of GERD at some point in their lives. It used to be prevalent in mostly older people but now it has become a very common issue with younger people as well.
Lack of stomach acid
There are several potential root causes of GERD. As we age, we tend to have less stomach acid. The problem with this is that older people are often given medication to treat GERD by blocking stomach acid. Blocking stomach acid doesn’t do much to help the situation when you don’t have enough stomach acid in the first place. This is why these medications are often ineffective.
Bacteria
A common bacteria called H-pylori is often connected to heartburn. It can cause stomach ulcers, heartburn, nausea and many other types of problems. You can test for this issue using a few different methods including a stool test. Once you know if you have this bacteria treatment will help heal the issue.
Imbalances
A hormone imbalance is also a possible cause of GERD. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, when your hormones go out of balance it can affect your digestive system for many different reasons. I’ve had patients who are in peri-menopause be more prone to GERD because of the imbalance in their hormones. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, liver imbalance can cause a energy to back up into your stomach and not allow it to do it’s job properly – this will lead to GERD symptoms. Women who are pregnant can also develop GERD because the baby’s bulk is pushing the stomach up and not allowing it to do it’s normal downward flow. .
There are many causes and things that lead to GERD and its symptoms, when you know the root cause, you can correct the imbalance and get better. Of course during a time when your symptoms are bad, you can take something temporarily to stop them, but ultimately, I encourage you to explore what the true cause of your reflux is. This will lead to a more effective solution and inevitable healing.
Don’t just reach for your medicine cabinet when you feel reflux, find someone who understands what it is and what may be causing it.
Ask me anything!
Hopefully this has helped to shed some light on heartburn and reflux. Let me know if you have any questions that I can help you with and be sure to join me for my next live Q&A on Facebook! It will be this Thursday, June 25th at 7:30pm.
If you have a more urgent issue or question, call my office at: 707.524.9640
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Inexplicable ailments, chronic pain and other mystery issues with your body do not have to be a forever thing. You can heal! Pick up a copy of my book – Healing When It Seems Impossible: 7 Keys To Defy The Odds.