Needle Your Way to Pregnancy Reflux Relief

Reflux is a common problem during pregnancy, one that can keep you from getting a good night’s sleep, as well as enjoying your food. Lets face it, if you can’t get a good night’s sleep when you’re pregnant, you’re in trouble, because that little baby needs you every waking moment when they arrive, so it is best to sort it out and rest up now.

How Does Eastern Medicine Treat Reflux?

In Chinese medical terms, reflux is seen as energy going the wrong way. When you eat and drink your food, it goes “down" through your digestive system. When it comes back “up" to say hello and burns your throat, this is called “rebellious Qi", Qi meaning energy. There are twelve main energy channels called meridians that run throughout your body which interconnect with each other and your organs. With reflux, it is commonly the Stomach energy channel that is at fault. Needling this channel at a specific location on your foot will bring the energy back “down", having dramatic results on once troublesome reflux. This will take care of the symptom but your acupuncturist will also be looking to balance your constitution and deal with the root cause of why it is occurring in the first place. Usually you will need a course of treatment and what I often do for my clients is add in a needle that sits very superficially in their ear, called an intradermal. It is tiny needle that has been engineered especially for this purpose. Why would I put a needle in your ear for your reflux? Well, it just so happens that your ear is a micro system for your entire body. There are points for every part of you on your ear. In the case of reflux, I test the area for your stomach and if it is sore – which is most often is in this situation – then it gets a needle. Clients keep it in for up to a week if it is helping to keep their symptoms at bay.

One of my pregnant clients recently said “I couldn’t believe how well that ear needle worked. It was like magic. I feel so much better this week." In cases like this I suggest they come to see me every two weeks to keep their symptoms at bay. It certainly makes for a more enjoyable pregnancy.

Does What I Eat Have An Impact?

Yes it does. So as not to aggravate your digestion it is best to eat small meals regularly rather than large meals three times a day. Rich foods can exacerbate symptoms and these include deep fried foods, highly seasoned foods, processed meats, chocolate, coffee, alcohol and carbonated drinks. Drinking peppermint tea can be helpful.

Written by Rebecca Mar Young, Springday Chinese Medicine Expert.

Back to Pregnancy & New Mums.

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Needle Your Way to Pregnancy Reflux Relief
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