How to Distinguish Between Acid Reflux and Gastritis Using Acupuncture and Herbs
- caulocare
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
Acid reflux and gastritis can be confusing. Both conditions affect the digestive system, and their symptoms can overlap. However, knowing how they differ is key to finding the right treatment. In this post, we’ll explore these differences, discuss how acupuncture and herbs can help, and provide practical tips for managing symptoms effectively.
Understanding Acid Reflux
Acid reflux, clinically known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), happens when stomach contents back up into the esophagus. This occurs often due to a weak lower esophageal sphincter, which typically acts as a barrier to prevent stomach acid from rising. Symptoms usually include:
Heartburn, which affects about 60 million Americans at least once a month.
Regurgitation of food or sour liquid.
Difficulty swallowing, felt by 30% of people with the condition.
Chest pain, which may radiate or mimic heart issues.
The discomfort during episodes often arises from the esophagus being irritated by stomach acid. Triggers can vary widely and often include foods like spicy dishes, chocolate, or high-fat meals. Other lifestyle factors such as late-night eating, smoking, and excessive alcohol intake can also exacerbate symptoms.
Understanding Gastritis
Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach lining. Various factors can cause this, such as:
Infection by bacteria like Helicobacter pylori, which affects about half of the global population.
Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, linked to around 15% of gastritis cases.
Alcohol use or autoimmune disorders.
Common symptoms of gastritis include:
Stomach pain, typically in the upper abdomen.
Nausea, which can lead to vomiting.
Indigestion and a reduced appetite.
Unlike acid reflux, gastritis directly impacts the stomach and causes discomfort in the stomach area.
Key Differences Between Acid Reflux and Gastritis
Recognizing the distinct characteristics of these two conditions is important for seeking appropriate treatment.
Symptoms Manifestation
Acid Reflux Symptoms: These mainly occur in the chest and throat, creating a burning sensation there.
Gastritis Symptoms: These are felt primarily in the upper abdomen, often as dull pain or discomfort.
Triggers
Foods for Acid Reflux: Spicy foods, chocolate, caffeine, and fried items are common triggers.
Foods for Gastritis: Triggers can be wider, including NSAIDs, alcohol, and specific bacteria.
Diagnostic Approaches
While clinical evaluations can often identify both conditions, gastritis may require additional tests like an endoscopy to check for inflammation.
"When Fire Rises and the Spleen Falls: TCM’s View of Acid Reflux vs Gastritis"
🧨 1. The Root Imbalance
⚡️ Acid Reflux (Rebellious Qi / Liver Fire Attacking the Stomach)
The liver is overheated, full of "fire" from stress, repressed emotions, or poor lifestyle.
This fiery Liver Qi becomes chaotic and rebels upward, disturbing the Stomach.
The stomach's energy, which should move downward, is pushed up, causing acid to rise toward the throat.
🌫 Gastritis (Spleen Qi Deficiency + Damp-Heat)
The Spleen — the engine of digestion in TCM — is weak, overworked, and undernourished.
Weak Spleen Qi fails to transform food properly, leading to dampness and food stagnation.
The dampness eventually turns into heat, inflaming the stomach lining and causing pain, nausea, and bloating.
🧭 2. Direction of Energy (Qi)
Acid Reflux: Qi is rebelling upward (氣逆 – Qi Ni). It’s like a volcano erupting inside your chest.
Gastritis: Qi is weak and sluggish (脾虛氣滯 – Pi Xu Qi Zhi). It’s like your digestion is suffocating under its own weight.
🌪 3. Emotional Triggers
Acid Reflux: Often worsened by anger, frustration, emotional repression → Liver Qi stagnation turning into fire.
Gastritis: Linked to worry, overthinking, and poor eating habits → weakens the Spleen Qi.
🔍 4. Tongue & Pulse Clues
Acid Reflux:
Tongue: Red sides and tip, yellow coating
Pulse: Wiry and rapid
Gastritis:
Tongue: Pale with teeth marks, or red with thick greasy coat
Pulse: Weak, soft, possibly slippery
🌿 5. Herbal & Food Therapies
🫖 For Acid Reflux (Liver Fire Rising, Rebellious Qi):
Herbs:
Zhi Zi (Gardenia): Clears Liver fire
Chai Hu (Bupleurum): Soothes Liver Qi
Ban Xia (Pinellia): Harmonizes Stomach, descends Qi
Huang Lian (Coptis): Strong fire purge
Foods:
Light-cooked greens
Chrysanthemum tea
Mung beans
Avoid spicy, fried, alcohol, caffeine
🫖 For Gastritis (Spleen Deficiency with Dampness):
Herbs:
Bai Zhu (Atractylodes): Strengthens Spleen
Fu Ling (Poria): Drains damp
Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel): Moves Qi
Shen Qu (Fermented herbs): Aids digestion
Foods:
Congee with ginger or pumpkin
Bone broth
Warm foods only (no raw/cold)
Avoid dairy, greasy food, cold drinks
⚠️ 6. Scary Truth (From a TCM Lens)
Acid Reflux left untreated? Liver Fire can scorch the throat, damage fluids, cause insomnia, chronic cough, and even turn into more serious Yin Deficiency heat syndromes.
• • Gastritis ignored? Damp-heat can rot the gut, weaken Qi further, lead to ulcers, bleeding, and full digestion collapse.
Acupuncture for Acid Reflux (GERD)
🌿 Goal: Descend rebellious Qi, soothe Liver, harmonize Stomach
✅ 1. PC6 – Nei Guan (Inner Pass)
Location: 2 cun above the transverse crease of the wrist, between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis.
Function: Harmonizes the Stomach, descends Qi, stops nausea, regulates the Heart
Why it works: Connects with the chest and upper jiao—excellent for acid rising and chest tightness.
✅ 2. ST36 – Zu San Li (Leg Three Miles)
Location: 3 cun below ST35, one finger-breadth lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia.
Function: Strengthens the Spleen and Stomach, tonifies Qi, supports digestion
Why it works: It's the master point of digestion—balances Earth element, treats both excess (reflux) and deficiency (gastritis).
✅ 3. REN12 – Zhong Wan (Middle Epigastrium)
Location: Midline of the abdomen, 4 cun above the umbilicus
Function: Front-Mu of the Stomach, regulates Qi, transforms dampness
Why it works: Excellent for epigastric bloating, acid reflux, nausea.
✅ 4. LV3 – Tai Chong (Great Surge)
Location: Dorsum of the foot, in the depression between the first and second metatarsal bones.
Function: Spreads Liver Qi, clears heat, harmonizes Liver-Stomach
Why it works: Addresses the Liver overacting on the Stomach, a key cause in TCM of reflux.
✅ 5. SP4 – Gong Sun (Grandfather Grandson)
Location: Medial side of the foot, in the depression distal and inferior to the base of the first metatarsal bone
Function: Luo-Connecting point of the Spleen, Confluent point of the Chong Mai
Why it works: Opens the Chong Mai, affects the upper digestive tract, balances rebellious Qi.
🩺 Acupuncture for Gastritis
🌿 Goal: Tonify Spleen, resolve Damp, reduce inflammation, harmonize the Middle Jiao
✅ 1. ST36 – Zu San Li (again)
Core point for any digestion-related condition
✅ 2. REN12 – Zhong Wan (again)
Excellent for gastric pain, nausea, and fullness
✅ 3. SP6 – San Yin Jiao (Three Yin Intersection)
Location: 3 cun directly above the tip of the medial malleolus, posterior to the tibia
Function: Tonifies Spleen and Stomach, resolves Damp, harmonizes Liver
Why it works: Harmonizes the middle jiao and regulates the interaction between Liver and Spleen
✅ 4. REN6 – Qi Hai (Sea of Qi)
Location: 1.5 cun below the umbilicus
Function: Tonifies Qi and Yang, harmonizes the intestines
Why it works: Strengthens overall Qi, supports digestive fire
✅ 5. ST21 – Liang Men (Beam Gate)
Location: 2 cun lateral to the midline and 4 cun above the umbilicus
Function: Regulates the stomach, alleviates pain
Why it works: Directly addresses gastric region pain and stagnation
Natural Remedies: The Role of Herbs
🌿 TCM Herbal Formulas for Acid Reflux (GERD)
🔥 Pathology: Liver Qi stagnation + Liver fire attacking Stomach / Rebellious Stomach Qi
✅ 1. Zuo Jin Wan (Left Metal Pill 左金丸)
Main Use: Acid reflux, bitter taste, burning in chest or throat
Functions: Clears Liver fire, redirects Stomach Qi downward
Ingredients:
Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma) – 6 parts
Wu Zhu Yu (Evodiae Fructus) – 1 part
Dosage Idea (modern use): 300–600 mg extract 2x/day or decoction
✅ 2. Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang (Pinellia Decoction to Drain the Epigastrium 半夏泻心汤)
Main Use: Reflux with nausea, bloating, and food stagnation
Functions: Harmonizes the Stomach, disperses clumping, directs rebellious Qi downward
Ingredients:
Ban Xia (Pinellia)
Huang Qin (Scutellaria)
Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger)
Ren Shen (Ginseng)
Huang Lian (Coptis)
Da Zao (Jujube)
Zhi Gan Cao (Licorice)
✅ 3. Chai Hu Shu Gan San (Bupleurum Powder to Spread the Liver 柴胡疏肝散)
Main Use: Stress-induced reflux, emotional stagnation
Functions: Spreads Liver Qi, harmonizes Stomach, relieves pain
Ingredients:
Chai Hu (Bupleurum)
Xiang Fu (Cyperus)
Chen Pi (Tangerine peel)
Zhi Ke (Bitter orange)
Bai Shao (White peony)
Chuan Xiong
Gan Cao
🌿 TCM Herbal Formulas for Gastritis
💧 Pathology: Spleen Qi deficiency, Dampness, or Stomach Heat with erosion/inflammation
✅ 1. Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction with Aucklandia and Amomum 香砂六君子汤)
Main Use: Chronic gastritis with fatigue, poor appetite, bloating
Functions: Tonifies Spleen Qi, transforms damp, promotes digestion
Ingredients:
Ren Shen (Ginseng)
Bai Zhu (Atractylodes)
Fu Ling (Poria)
Gan Cao (Licorice)
Chen Pi (Tangerine peel)
Ban Xia (Pinellia)
Mu Xiang (Saussurea)
Sha Ren (Amomum)
✅ 2. Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang (Peony and Licorice Decoction 芍药甘草汤)
Main Use: Cramping abdominal pain, tight epigastrium
Functions: Relaxes tension, relieves pain, harmonizes digestion
Ingredients:
Bai Shao (White peony root)
Zhi Gan Cao (Honey-fried licorice)
✅ 3. Qing Wei San (Clear the Stomach Powder 清胃散)
Main Use: Stomach Heat pattern — gastritis with bad breath, bleeding gums, hunger with discomfort
Functions: Clears Stomach fire, cools blood
Ingredients:
Huang Lian (Coptis)
Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga)
Mu Dan Pi (Moutan cortex)
Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia)
Dang Gui (Angelica)
Lifestyle Adjustments and Prevention Strategies
Lifestyle changes can greatly complement acupuncture and herbal remedies in managing acid reflux and gastritis.
Dietary Modifications
🥣 Acid Reflux (GERD)
🌿 Eastern (TCM-style) Nutrition Goals:
Clear Liver fire, harmonize Stomach, descend rebellious Qi
Best foods:
Warm, soft, easy-to-digest foods (congee, steamed vegetables)
Chrysanthemum tea – clears heat, calms Liver
Mung beans (mung bean soup) – cooling, detoxifying
Lotus root soup – moistens, cools, supports digestion
Steamed pumpkin or carrots – nourish Spleen, soothe Stomach
Pear (lightly steamed) – moistens throat, soothes acid burn
Foods to avoid (TCM view):
Spicy, greasy, fried food
Alcohol, caffeine, cold/raw foods
Emotional eating, late-night meals
🍽️ Western Nutrition Goals:
Reduce gastric acid, soothe esophagus, prevent reflux triggers
Best foods:
Oatmeal – gentle, alkaline, helps absorb acid
Bananas & apples (peeled) – non-acidic, soothing
Ginger (tea or grated) – anti-inflammatory, supports digestion
Bone broth or chicken soup – nourishing, easy on digestion
Melons, green beans, steamed broccoli – non-acidic, alkaline
Foods to avoid:
Tomatoes, citrus, garlic, onions
Coffee, chocolate, peppermint
Carbonated drinks, alcohol, processed snacks
💊 Helpful Supplements & Vitamins:
DGL Licorice (Deglycyrrhizinated): Soothes and protects esophagus
L-Glutamine: Repairs gut lining
Aloe Vera (no anthraquinones): Soothes acid burn
Zinc Carnosine: Protects and heals mucosa
Magnesium citrate/glycinate: Reduces stomach acid (and stress)
🥣 Gastritis
🌿 Eastern (TCM-style) Nutrition Goals:
Tonify Spleen Qi, resolve Dampness, soothe Stomach lining
Best foods:
Warm congee (rice porridge) with ginger or dates – nourishes digestion
Pumpkin, sweet potato – Spleen-strengthening
Steamed squash, carrots, lotus seeds – easy to digest
Ginger tea (mild) – warms middle jiao, relieves nausea
Shiitake mushrooms, tofu soup – nourishing without overloading Stomach
Bone broth with herbs (goji, astragalus) – strengthens Qi and yin
Foods to avoid (TCM view):
Cold/raw foods (salads, smoothies)
Greasy, fried, overly spicy food
Cold beverages (ice water, soda)
🍽️ Western Nutrition Goals:
Soothe and heal inflamed gastric lining, eliminate triggers
Best foods:
Boiled vegetables (carrots, zucchini, spinach)
Boiled or steamed white rice / oatmeal / millet
Non-acidic fruits (banana, papaya)
Mashed potatoes, soft eggs, steamed chicken
Chamomile tea – anti-inflammatory, stomach calming
Foods to avoid:
NSAIDs, spicy food, coffee, alcohol
Tomato-based products
Acidic, fried, and processed foods
💊 Helpful Supplements & Vitamins:
L-Glutamine: Promotes stomach lining repair
Zinc Carnosine: Enhances mucosal healing
Slippery Elm / Marshmallow root: Coats and soothes GI lining
Vitamin U (Cabbage juice extract): Supports healing of gastric mucosa
Probiotics (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium): Rebuild gut flora
Mastic Gum: Anti-H. pylori effects (natural antimicrobial)
Stress Management
Utilizing stress management techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can significantly improve digestive health. Such practices may reduce stress-related symptoms for people dealing with acid reflux and gastritis.
Staying Hydrated
Drinking water throughout the day aids digestion and may prevent excessive stomach acid from forming. It is vital for maintaining overall digestive health.
Understanding Symptoms is Key to Relief
Recognizing the differences between acid reflux and gastritis is vital for effective treatment. While both issues can be uncomfortable, each requires a distinct approach. Natural treatments like acupuncture and herbs can play an important role in managing symptoms.
Emphasizing lifestyle changes, being mindful of dietary triggers, and seeking professional advice can empower individuals to take charge of their digestive health. Whether you experience the burning discomfort of acid reflux or the nagging pain of gastritis, learning to identify and address these conditions is crucial for achieving wellness.
❌ This information is only educational and should not be construed as medical advice.
Everything must be balanced, and the suggestions may not apply to you.
A specialist doctor should be consulted for any medical advice or diagnosis.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT NOW!
Acupuncture near me at Forest Hill, NY
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Dr. Phumlarp Caulo LA,c, MAc. OM, DAHM
Doctor of Acupuncture/Chinese Medicine
Caulo Care Acupuncture
🔖 By appointment only
☎️+1 (929) 269-4549
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