Acid Reflux Treatments - Natural Health Solutions

Acid Reflux Treatments - Natural Health Solutions

What is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux is a digestive disorder that causes a health issue commonly known as heartburn. The condition causes a burning sensation in the lower chest that begins when hydrochloric acid from the stomach, used to digest food, enters the esophagus. Unlike the stomach, the esophagus does not have a protective lining to shield itself from the digestive acid. Acid reflux occurs when the gastroesophageal sphincter, a valve between the esophagus and the stomach, fails. The failure allows the stomach acid to flow into the esophagus, which causes a burning sensation.


Acid reflux can also be triggered by GERD when the immune chemical cytokine is released causing inflammation. Acid Reflux is also a known symptom of the autoimmune disease Sjogren's Syndrome.

Common Symptoms of Acid Reflux

The most common symptoms of acid reflux are burning pain in the chest, pressure in the same region, and a bloated sensation. Inflammation in the esophagus caused by the irritation of the acid against the unprotected tissue causes these sensations. The pain can intensify when laying or bending down because the position enables acid to enter the esophagus more easily.


Severe bouts of heartburn may cause the burning pain to spread through the esophagus to the throat. In chronic cases, repeated exposure to stomach acid can cause damage to the esophagus.

People may have additional symptoms with acid reflux when damage begins. The additional symptoms can include shortness of breath, coughing, nausea, and difficulty swallowing. Untreated cases of chronic acid reflux can cause enough damage to require surgery and even lead to pre-cancerous changes in the esophagus.

Common Causes of Acid Reflux

Everyone has some heartburn risk, and almost everyone will eventually experience the discomfort. Preventable and non-preventable causes of acid reflux exist. Non-preventable causes include physical conditions like a hiatal hernia. Chronic heartburn often begins from an unhealthy diet, obesity, and smoking. Even exposure to second-hand smoke could cause acid reflux. Stress increases the risk of the condition, as does a sedentary lifestyle. Many women also experience heartburn during pregnancy because of the pressure on the organs from the fetus. Some prescription medications also trigger acid reflux as a side effect.

How the Medical Community Treats Acid Reflux

Traditional medical providers have two common recommendations. Most will mention the need to eat a bland diet and consume smaller meals. OTC antacids may provide some relief, but in cases where the condition bothers people enough to visit a doctor, they often need something more powerful than basic antacids. Prescription drugs used for acid reflux are medications designed to reduce acid production.


Many patients find the medications useful, but they do have risks. For example, the drugs commonly used can cause malnutrition in some patients because they reduce the ability of the body to absorb nutrients. However, people do not need to feel the risks are unavoidable because there are many natural options for reducing acid reflux.

Alternative Remedies and Natural Healing Solutions

Alternative healing solutions focus on natural remedies and lifestyle changes to stop acid reflux. The first suggestion may include ending the intake of caffeine, alcohol, and excessive salt. A review of current prescriptions could reveal some known for increasing heartburn risk. These include many painkillers, antidepressants, and asthma medications, among others. Patients should not stop taking their medication but should discuss their options with the prescribing doctor.


Other suggestions include:

  • Consume whole fruit instead of fruit juice
  • Increase dietary fiber
  • Use supplements and probiotics that balance the digestive system
  • Eat smaller meals
  • Eat slower
  • Avoid vigorous activities immediately after eating
  • Stay sitting up or standing for an hour or two after eating
  • Try herbal remedies to relieve heartburn
  • Do not wear clothing or accessories that fit tightly around the waist
  • Use stress-reduction practices like massage, meditation, and hypnotherapy to lower acid production in the stomach
  • Stay a healthy weight or lose weight if required
  • Keep a food diary to discover the foods that cause discomfort
  • Try acupuncture to restore chi flow and reduce anxiety and stress
  • Chiropractic manipulation can improve hiatal hernia for less pain and pressure
  • Look for natural alternatives to replace the prescriptions given for other health concerns

See Your Local Holistic Practitioner. These can include muscle testers like Applied Kinesiologists and Nutrition Response Testers, many of whom are Chiropractors. You can also consider Functional and Integrative Medical Practitioners, many of whom are holistic doctors. Depending on your symptoms, trained Dietitians and Nutritionists can also be an option.


Adding whole food supplements to your treatment plan adjusts the imbalances in your body. Being under a professional's care will help eliminate trial and error, and wasted money spent on remedies that may not be appropriate for your exact illness. Most holistic practitioners offer a free consultation, so seeing two or three is an option. It would be wise to start here.

Acid reflux happens so commonly it is easy to dismiss as a non-critical health concern. The potential for heartburn to become a health crisis occurs when it is no longer an occasional annoyance but a daily event. Chronic heartburn is a mostly avoidable digestive disorder that can damage the body and put people at risk.


Acid reflux occurs most often during extended periods of emotional stress, sedentary behavior, and unhealthy eating. Small lifestyle changes should result in some improvement. A commitment to find all heartburn triggers and avoid them can make people feel much better without side effects or unnecessary risks.

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