Gastric reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. In this case stomach acid backflows into the esophagus. The result is uncomfortable symptoms such as heartburn, chest pain, and a sour taste in the mouth. Doctors usually suggest drugs or swapping bad habits for good ones when dealing with GERD. However, VL Therapy, an eminent centre for physiotherapy in Kuala Lumpur offers physiotherapy, an often-overlooked yet highly effective holistic approach to alleviating symptoms of
gastric reflux pain and improving quality of life.
Understanding Gastric Reflux
Gastric reflux happens when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) a muscle that works like a door between your food pipe and tummy doesn't do its job well or relaxes when it shouldn't. This lets stomach acid slip back into your food pipe, leading to soreness and inflammation.
Symptoms
Gastric Reflux pain is a common condition that can cause various symptoms, including:
● Heartburn: A burning sensation in the chest, often after eating or lying down.
● Regurgitation: Sour or bitter taste in the mouth due to the backflow of stomach acid.
● Acidic or bitter taste: A persistent taste of acid or bitterness in the mouth.
● Chest pain: Discomfort or pain in the chest, which can be mistaken for heart-related issues.
● Difficulty swallowing: Feeling as if food or liquids are getting stuck in the throat.
● Sore throat or hoarseness: Chronic irritation of the throat can lead to a sore throat or hoarse voice.
● Cough: Chronic cough that may be worse at night or after eating.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more severe and chronic form of gastric reflux, where symptoms occur more frequently and severely, often interfering with daily life and causing complications.
How Physiotherapy Effectively Manages Gastric Reflux
People usually think physiotherapy is traditionally associated with the treatment of musculoskeletal issues. Yet, it is beneficial for more, like gastric reflux. In VL Therapy, an eminent centre for physiotherapy in Kuala Lumpur, therapists use many methods to ease the symptoms of gastric reflux pain. They improve how your diaphragm works and how you hold yourself, which can make reflux attacks happen less and be less harsh.
Popular Physiotherapy Techniques for Gastric Reflux
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises
Benefits: When you breathe from your belly, also called deep or diaphragmatic breathing, your diaphragm gets stronger, works better, and takes pressure off the LES.
Technique: We teach patients to let the air fill their lungs through their noses, which makes their bellies expand. Then, they breathe out slowly through their mouths. This method helps people relax. It also helps control stress, which can make GERD symptoms worse.
2. Postural Training
Benefits: Standing tall takes stress off your stomach and LES, shrinking your chance of heartburn.
Technique: Physical therapists guide folks to fix bad body positions like slouching, which can lead to GERD. They give exercises to beef up your core muscles, helping you keep a healthier stance.
3. Manual Therapy
Benefits: Methods like gentle rubdown and muscle membrane loosening help ease belly tightness and boost movement.
Technique: Physical healers work with their hands to put pressure and shift the muscles and links near the breathing muscle and belly. This aids in letting go of tightness and enhancing how the breathing muscle and LES work.
4. Core stabilization exercises:
Strengthening the core muscles, including the abdominal and back muscles, can help improve the stability of the torso and reduce intra-abdominal pressure. This can indirectly relieve gastric reflux pain by minimizing pressure on the stomach and preventing acid reflux.
5. Relaxation techniques:
Stress and anxiety can contribute to increased acid production and exacerbate GERD symptoms. Physiotherapists can teach relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness, to help manage stress and promote overall well-being.
Preventative Measures and Lifestyle Changes
Along with physiotherapy, adopting certain lifestyle changes can help prevent gastric reflux and manage symptoms effectively:
Food habits: Cutting out food triggers like spicy items, caffeinated drinks, and booze can lower how often you get reflux attacks. Eating less, but more often, and not late at night can help too.
Weight Management: Keeping a healthy weight puts less strain on your stomach and LES, which lowers reflux chances.
Regular Exercise: Regular physical activity keeps you overall healthy and can help with weight control. However, it's important to avoid exercises that put excessive pressure on the abdomen, such as heavy lifting.
Physiotherapy is a complete, helpful way to control stomach acid pain. Mix in deep belly breathing, right posture lessons, and touch treatments for a big drop in symptoms and a better life. Joining physiotherapy with other remedies and life changes makes a full plan to manage acid issues. If you have stomach acid problems, think about talking with a physiotherapy expert to see how this method can help you.
VL Therapy, with a team of experienced, educated, and professional physiotherapists is providing various modern treatment plans for gastric reflux pain to help all patients regain their health as per the need for looking not just at the immediate but also to ensure that the relief becomes sustainable. To learn more about the services please visit the official website
https://www.vltherapy.com.my/