Many studies within last 10 years have showed that around one fourth of the Indian population is suffering from GERD. As the population of middle and high income group rises, the prevalence of GERD also rises. They are the people who consume so-called rich foods like spicy, oily, fried & non-vegetarian food, aerated drinks and frequent stimulants, and consume less of fruits and vegetables. Our huge number of festivals also adds to it, during which we have a tradition of preparing large spread of special dishes. When such foods are taken for a few times, there won’t be any problem. When taken more often, they start feeling heartburn, sour eructation and other symptoms of GERD. Lifestyle modifications along with homeopathic medication for some period will help the person to get rid of the problem. This article gives an overview of the causes, symptoms, lifestyle management, complications, and homeopathic management of GERD.
What is GERD?
Gastroesophageal reflex disease, as the name indicates, is the reversal of food from the stomach to esophagus. It is also referred by many names like acid indigestion, acid reflux, acid regurgitation, or sometimes simply heartburn. The mechanism in majority of the cases involves improper closure of the muscular sphincter at the gastroesophageal junction. This happen due to many factors as listed under causes. Many studies in India show that 20-25% population suffers from the condition. It affects all age group, including infants and elders.
Causes and symptoms of GERD
Overeating can lead to GERD. When food is eaten beyond the capacity, it leads to distension of stomach and subsequent improper closure of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) causing reflux. Frequent eating, lying immediately after eating or eating just before going to bed, spicy, fatty & non-vegetarian food, alcohol and coffee are also found to be causing GERD. Smoking is associated with GERD. Conditions like hiatus hernia, obesity and overweight cause the symptoms of GERD. Pregnancy, some exercises, smoking, and certain drugs are other causative factors.
Heartburn and regurgitation of food or sour liquid (stomach acids) are common symptoms. Apart from these, chest pain, lump like sensation in the throat, nausea/vomiting, offensive breathing, prolonged cough, difficulty/painful swallowing, obstinate hoarseness/sore throat/laryngitis, etc. are other symptoms.
Required lifestyle changes and complications of unmanaged GERD
Drinking plenty of water, avoiding or reducing spicy fatty foods, chocolate, overeating, non-veg, coffee and alcohol, quitting smoking, reducing weight, elevated head of the bed, loose clothes around waist, early meals at night, optimizing medications causing GERD, etc. will help. Antacids available in the market as OTC products have side effects. Unmanaged and untreated GERD may result in ulcer in the esophagus, stricture formation due to scar, Barrett’s esophagus (a condition where the nature of esophageal tissue lining changes similar to intestinal tissue lining) and even esophageal cancer.
How homeopathy can help?
Homeopathy can help to reduce the tendency. In persistent cases where even lifestyle modifications doesn’t give desired result, homeopathy can be a boon with its safe medications. In such cases, constitutional miasmatic remedies will give permanent solutions provided there is no further maintaining cause. Below are specific remedies helpful in GERD.
Specific drugs for GERD and their indications
| Acidumsulphuricum | It covers epigastric pain and sour eructations and useful in cases of pains either violent or contractive, or are of a dull, heavy, aching character with pyrosis and flatulence. Loss of appetite and great debility are also covered. |
| Argentum nitricum | Nausea and vomiting of glairy mucous are indicated by this drug. Acidity is associated in many cases.It covers retarded gastric pain and diarrhoea resulting from eating sweets in persons fond of sugar. Associated stool symptoms like watery, noisy, flatulent, green with mucus or turning green after remaining on diaper in children are also covered. |
| Arsenicum album | It is useful in acid reflux aggravated from vegetable diet like melons, watery fruits, acid fruits, ice cream and ice water, etc. Nausea, vomiting, faintness, icy coldness and great exhaustion are also indicated. It covers diarrhoea after eating or drinking. It is indicated for weakness in such cases. It is also a remedy for periodic burning pain in the stomach at night or midnight with nausea and vomiting. Adynamia (lack of vital power), anxiety, thirst and restlessness are characteristic of the drug. Other indications include weakness, loss of weight, paleness, nausea, vomiting soon after any intake, heartburn and regurgitation of acid matter. Dyspepsia from vinegar or acids, ice creams, tobacco. Associated symptoms are great thirst, drinks much, gastritis, gastroenteritis, gastric ulcers etc., but in small quantities at a time. |
| Belladonna | Distended abdomen, spasmodic or colic pain worsened by pressure, improved by bending backwards, greenish stool and shuddering during stool. |
| Bismuthumsubnitricum | It covers pressure and burning in the region of stomach. Also indicated for digestive dysfunctions like lost and diminished appetite, much thirst, eructation after drinking water, slow digestion, with frequent bitter eructations and feeling of discomfort in the stomach, vomitting with convulsive pain. Water is vomited as soon as it reaches the stomach. |
| Capsicum annum | It covers symptoms like burning in the stomach after eating, great flatulence from vegetables, flatulent colic, atonic dyspepsia and painless rumbling in the abdomen. Also used in hyperacidity with reduced appetite, vomiting, much thirst, dyspepsia, and heartburn. Pressure, pain in the pit of stomach with nausea are also covered by this medicine. |
| Carbo vegetabilis | Used in symptom of reflux esophagitis with lowered vital power from loss of fluids, state of collapse in cholera, frequent involuntary stools followed by burning, irritation after eating and drinking. Simple food distresses, belching, flatulence and abdominal discomfort are effectively taken care by this. |
| Chamomilla | More suitable for children who are irritable, frightful, impatient, hyper-sensitive, wants this or that and becomes angry when refused or when offered. Distension and flatulent colic which is improved by warmth. Suits well in neuropathic or psychopathic children. Stool hot, green, watery, corroding and very offensive like rotten egg. One cheek red and hot, the other pale and cold. |
| Chelidoniummajus | It is a liver remedy, covering many of the acid reflux symptoms. It is indicated in jaundice, enlarged liver, gall colic, distension and sluggish bowels due to hepatic disease or bilious complications. |
| Cinchona officinalis | It covers vomiting, slow digestion, flatulent colic, tympanitic abdomen, stool frothy, yellow and painless. |
| Colocynthis | Suitable for irritable persons who easily angered; epigastric pain causing patient bend double, sometimes with nausea and vomiting, sometimes with diarrhoea, sometimes with passing great quantities of gas; pains often extend into chest and pelvis; sensation as if stones were being ground together in the abdomen |
| Cuprum aceticum | It covers violent spasmodic pains in stomach and abdomen, vomiting, diarrhoea, slimy brown stool and violent tenesmus. |
| Dioscoreavillosa | It is especially for colic, flatulence and problems of tea drinkers, improves digestion, used in painful affections of abdominal and pelvic viscera. |
| Foeniculum vulgare | A commonly used Indian household cookery, it allays griping pain and is carminative. It helps digestion, lowers flatulence and colic. |
| Hydrastis | It has a marked action on the liver, helps digestion smooth. |
| Ipecacuanha | It acts on persistent nausea and vomiting, cutting pain around the naval, tenesmus and liver sore. This drug is well suited for children and sensitive adults. The action of the drug on nerves, responsible for persistent nausea and vomiting. |
| Iris versicolor | It is indicated for violent burning like fire of whole alimentary canal, nausea and vomiting of watery and very acidic substance; heartburn and profuse flow of saliva, acidity makes the teeth blunt. In some cases appetite is deficient. Stress and headache are aggravated in such cases. |
| Lycopodium clavatum | Meteoritic tenseness, lack of digestive power, often with functional disturbance of liver. Child weeps all day. Excessive accumulation of flatulence; abdomen is bloated, full with rolling of flatulence. Appetite good, eats more than the average, but does not put on weight. |
| Menthapiperita | Flatulent colic, bilious colic, deranged digestion, accumulation of gas, respiratory catarrh, dry and spasmodic cough. |
| Momordicabalsamina | Distension and rubbing in splenic flexure of colon. Griping, colicky pains, starting from the back, spreading over whole abdomen are covered by this drug. |
| Natrum phosphoricum | It acts in the conditions of sour eructations after eating, sour vomiting, dyspepsia from fatty food, heaviness and pressure in epigastrium, flatulence, rumbling, symptoms worse after eating. |
| Nux Vomica | It is said to be the drug for many conditions incident to modern life. It has a calming effect on digestive, portal and hypochondrial spheres. Headache, vertigo, nausea, vomiting abdominal colics and symptoms due to over exertion, are covered by this medicine. |
| Okoubaka | It is a recently introduced remedy for indigestion as a consequence of food intolerance with gastro enteritis and food poisoning symptoms. It helps in the elimination of toxin. Dyspeptic and related symptoms like fullness of stomach with rumbling often accompanied by colic and/or diarrhoea, anorexia, flatulent dyspepsia, eructation, nausea, sometimes vomiting and vertigo occurs after changing diet are covered. |
| Petroleum | Considered to be useful in GERD symptoms resulting from irritations involving the central nervous system and brain stem. The drug is indicated for ailments aggravated from riding in cars, carriages, ship or air, fright and vexation. Noise is unbearable; heartburn and nausea are other accompanying symptoms. |
| Phosphorus | It is an established medicine for eructations, vomiting of food or blood that is temporarily ameliorated by ice-cold drinks, but returns as the stomach becomes warm. Dyspepsia with excessive flatulence and white tongue. |
| Podophyllum | It is indicated for distended abdomen, feeling of heat and emptiness, sensation of weakness or sinking, painful liver region, jaundice, portal engorgement, gastro-enteritis-like symptoms. |
| Robiniapseudocacia | Helpful in conditions like constant eructations of a very sour fluid, heartburn and acidity especially at night, on lying down, distention of stomach and bowels, regurgitation of acid and bile, with a feeling that everything turns to acid. Gastric headache with acid vomiting, epigastric pain and retching are also covered by this medicine. |
| Tabacum | Indicated for epigastric pain, nausea, giddiness, pallor, vomiting, seasickness, prostration of entire muscular system, vertigo, sick headache and vomiting on least motion. Pathogenesis covers migraine, neuralgias and gastrocardiac symptoms. |
| Tiliaeuropaea | It covers bloated abdomen, pain around navel, flatulence, muscular pain and urticaria. |