When we experience digestive or gastrointestinal discomfort, specifically acid reflux, often the first reaction is to reach for over-the-counter or prescription medications, both of which may come with unpleasant side effects. What some may not realize is that acupuncture has been shown to be an effective treatment for relieving symptoms related to acid reflux. A study compared patients treated with prescription proton pump inhibitors and acupuncture over the course of six weeks. Researched tracked patient symptoms, frequency of reflux attacks, and monitored of mucous membranes. The results showed that acupuncture is able to alleviate patients discomfort and reflux symptoms by inhibiting the intraesophageal acid and bile reflux.
References:
Yin J, Chen JD. Gastrointestinal motility disorders and acupuncture. Auton Neurosci. 2010;157(1-2):31-37. doi:10.1016/j.autneu.2010.03.007
Zhang C-xian, Qin Y-mei, Guo B-rui. Clinical study on the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux by acupuncture. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2010;16(4):298-303. doi:10.1007/s11655-010-0516-y