How Chinese Medicine Approaches Acid Reflux and Heartburn

That burning climb after dinner is stomach qi rebelling upward. TCM frames reflux as flow in the wrong direction, and the fix starts with why the qi is pushing up in the first place.

The patterns behind acid reflux and heartburn

• Stomach heat with burning after rich food
• Liver-stomach disharmony with reflux that flares with stress

Same complaint, different machinery. That is why a herb that transforms one person's acid reflux and heartburn can leave another person unchanged: the pattern underneath is not the same.

The herbs most often used

• Licorice root (Gan Cao): eases spasm and stomach pain, often with white peony
• Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying): benefits the eyes and soothes a hot, sore throat
• Chamomile (Yang Gan Ju): gently settles a child's nervous stomach
• Note that mint, usually a friend of the stomach, can loosen the esophageal valve and worsen reflux in some people

Acupressure you can do yourself

Massage each of these, zhongwan, neiguan, with a firm circular pressure for about a minute. Soreness that eases as you press is a good sign you are in the right spot.

Food and daily rhythm

On the plate: Smaller cooked meals, no lying down for two hours after eating, less coffee alcohol and citrus

In the day: Left-side sleeping, dinner early, stress work for the liver

None of this replaces a practitioner who can look at your tongue, feel your pulse and ask awkward questions. Use this as background, not as a prescription.