Acid Reflux‧胃酸逆流

Acid reflux, otherwise known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a digestive disorder in which the stomach juices and bile regurgitates back up the esophagus, while the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) fails to close properly. The LES is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus that works like a valve between the esophagus and stomach. Acid reflux is more commonly referred to as "heartburn". This results in a painful burning sensation occurring in the middle of the chest, just behind the breastbone. 　　1 in 4 Americans suffer with some form of heartburn at least once a month, while more than 15 million Americans experience heartburn every day. Some individuals are diagnosed with GERD without experiencing heartburn symptoms. Instead, they experience pain in the chest; throat hoarseness in the morning; or trouble swallowing. In other cases, heartburn among some individuals occur; however, does not imply he/she has GERD. Heartburn that occurs more than twice a week may be considered GERD. This may eventually lead to more serious health problems including: esophageal ulcers, chronic bronchitis, or even esophageal cancer. A study conducted by the American Physiological Society indicates that the stimulation of certain acupuncture points inhibits esophageal sphincter relaxation by as much as 40%. In fact, Traditional Chinese Medicine have been using acupuncture to treat digestive disorders for thousands of years. The Chinese herbal formula can also help soothe the uncomfortable symptoms resulting from GERD. While modern science gets closer to explaining how acupuncture works; very few can presently deny that it works.

胃酸逆流就是俗稱的火燒心，覺得喉嚨不適，想咳嗽，如果伴有胸口疼痛，並有灼熱感，就像有把火在胸口燒，尤其用餐前後，或是腹部用力時，更是不舒服，如果你有這些症狀，很可能是得了胃酸逆流。少數胃酸逆流患者由於食道長期受刺激，可能會導致食道潰瘍出血、慢性支氣管炎等，甚至還有可能會增加罹患食道癌的機率，像是「巴瑞特氏食道症」，就在胃和食道交界處細胞產生變化，是一種癌前病變的先兆。 　　胃酸逆流患者以中、老年居多，不過根據臨床觀察，年輕患者也有增加趨勢，可能是因為作息、飲食不正常導致。其病因是胃與食道連接的括約肌鬆開了，胃酸向上逆流進入食道，造成胸口灼熱感。患者除了治療，調整生活與飲食習慣也有助於減緩胃酸逆流，首先要避開會刺激胃酸逆流的食物，吃東西時最好細嚼慢嚥，三餐要規律，吃飯切勿吃太飽，吃完東西後最好起身活動一下，否則腹壓一增加，就會刺激胃酸逆流，另外，要保持愉快情緒，緊張與壓力也都會刺激胃酸逆流。 　　中醫認為因情志不暢、飲食失調以及勞累過度，而導致心、肝、胃的火氣旺盛都會造成胃酸分泌過多。在針灸和方藥上多以降火並合以健脾強胃為治則，來抑制胃酸，還會根據個人體質與病因，或是疏肝和胃，調節腸胃自律神經；或是理氣降逆，調節胃與食道的蠕動；或是健脾益氣，增強胃腸的功能。常用的藥物包括了香砂六君子湯、平胃散、理中湯、四逆湯、烏梅丸、半夏瀉心湯等等。