A study conducted by the American Journal of
Physiology reported that stimulating specific acupuncture points can
aid in the relaxation of esophageal sphincter by over forty percent.
The cause of acid reflux, or gastro-esophageal flux disease (GERD),
is unknown to doctors at this time. However, treatment can still be
done as there is a wide range of medication on available to counter
the symptoms. Unfortunately, these medications can end up causing
some nasty side effects.
This study showed that electrical acupuncture is
able to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux which is considered
transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations. What the esophagus
does is allow the food you eat to into the stomach, when people have
this disease it causes the esophagus to relax when it isn’t supposed
to which causes stomach acid to build back up through it. This can
results in symptoms such as heartburn. Stimulating the point Neiguan,
located on the wrist, is also able to reduce how often transient
lower esophageal sphincter relaxations occur.