Severe Burping, Reflux Esophagitis, Regurgitation Rising to the Throat | Incheon Esophagitis

1. “It's not just burping. It happens all day long”

From the moment they first entered the consultation room, deep exhaustion was visible on their face. As soon as they opened their mouth, these were the words that came out.

“After I eat, I keep burping. It's not just once, but endlessly... 10 times, 20 times... to the point where it's hard even to sit still.”

Beyond simply severe burping, this person was experiencing 'abdominal pressure to the point of feeling unable to breathe' and 'acid reflux rising up to the throat.'

“When I try to lie down to sleep, acid fills up to my throat. I feel so anxious just lying still. One day, I bolted upright at 3 AM and stood for a long time.”

This is not simple 'indigestion.' The body is sending an 'urgent' signal.

2. Tests show no abnormalities, but symptoms become more specific

The patient had already undergone several tests at a gastroenterology clinic. Gastroscopy, blood tests, inflammation levels, and Helicobacter tests were all 'normal.'

They asked, “Why are these symptoms occurring?”

But the response they received was “You tend to be sensitive, so stomach acid may rise easily. Please take your medication consistently.”That was it. From then on, they continued taking medication. They took PPIs such as Nexium or Rabeprazole, gastrointestinal motility enhancers like Mosapride, and gastrointestinal digestive tablets.

However, after taking them for one month, two months... the effectiveness of the medicine gradually decreased, and conversely, the body became increasingly sensitive.

“As soon as I stop, it recurs immediately.”

“I wonder if I've actually adapted to the medication. That's even scarier.”

3. What is harder is that no one empathizes with this pain

What the patient talked about the longest was not the symptoms themselves, but the 'frustration that no one takes this seriously.'

“My husband says, 'Everyone experiences acid reflux once or twice.'”

“At work, when I say 'my stomach feels bad,' they only tell me to 'reduce my coffee intake.'”

But this was not a simple inconvenience; it was a state close to a sense of threat dominating the entire body.

“At night, I'm just scared to lie down. Fearing that the acid will rise again. Truly, there were days when it felt like something was rising and choking my throat.”

To someone repeatedly experiencing such pain, the words 'take more acid medication' can actually diminish the very existence of the problem.

4. Regurgitation is not a problem of stomach acid, but a problem of flow

In Korean medicine, these symptoms are not viewed simply as 'gastritis' or 'esophagitis.' The problem is seen as the pattern itself where the flow of energy, the stomach qi (胃氣), fails to descend properly and instead refluxes.

This is not simply a matter of adjusting acidity within the stomach, but a loop created by the intertwining of diaphragmatic tension, autonomic nerve hyperactivity, increased abdominal pressure, and emotional suppression.

In actual abdominal palpation, hard tension is felt in the epigastric region, and there is a feeling that the downward flow of the abdomen, between Gihae and Gwanwon, is blocked. Furthermore, the patient is always in a state of tension. Their breathing is shallow, shoulders are raised, and their eyes are always cautious.

This is not a disease of the 'stomach' alone. It is the result of the entire body hardening into a 'surging' pattern.

5. Treatment is not about suppressing stomach acid, but about releasing the flow

We composed herbal medicine centered on herbs that bring down the stomach qi. Representative medicinal herbs such as Banha, Hubak, Jisil, Cheongpi, Gwakhyang, and Bokryeong guide the qi downward, allowing stomach acid to flow naturally rather than simply suppressing it.

Acupuncture treatment focuses on Neiguan, Zhongwan, Zusanli, Taichong, and Danzhong. Additionally, abdominal acupuncture for the relaxation of the diaphragm and thoracic expansion stimulation to enable deep breathing are central.

And then, the patient said this.

“Burping still happens, but the pattern has changed. It's not pouring out continuously like before; it comes out and then stops. It's as if my body is remembering how to stop.”

the feeling.

That was the first stage of the body beginning to send recovery signals.

6. This was a rescue request my body was sending me (as a proper heading)

At some point, we started perceiving the warnings our body sends as unpleasant signals to be "suppressed." But in reality, it is an urgent rescue request your body sends to regain its proper function.

Burping, regurgitation, esophageal pressure. These symptoms are not a problem of the stomach alone. It could be an SOS signal forcefully pushed upward by your entire body to break a "stagnant flow."

"That must have been such a distressing symptom. Even if it didn't show up on tests, that pain was real."

#esophagitis #regurgitationrising