The Treatment of GastroOesophageal Reflux Disease with Traditional Chinese Medicine

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD – referred to as GERD with American spelling) is a prevalent digestive disorder that manifests with symptoms of heartburn, acid regurgitation and belching. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) GORD is categorised as ‘epigastric pain’, ‘acid swallowing’ or ‘hiccup’ and attributed to factors such as invasion of external pathogens, emotional distress, dietary irregularities, digestive weakness and disordered lifestyle. Its core pathogenesis stems from disruption of the descent of Stomach qi causing rebellious qi and imbalances of the Liver, Spleen and Stomach. These typically present alongside imbalances of qi, blood, body fluids and yin-yang, with mixed deficiency-excess and cold-heat patterns. Guided by the TCM principles of addressing both symptoms and root causes while harmonising the zangfu organs, treatment is based on syndrome differentiation and integrates herbal medicine, acupuncture and appropriate lifestyle advice. Unlike standard biomedical acid-suppression therapy, which leads to high relapse rates and long-term side effects, TCM’s holistic approach effectively relieves symptoms, enhances gastrointestinal motility, and reduces recurrence, significantly improving quality of life and offering substantial clinical value.