herbs for Reflux and symptoms?

i read, there are quite a few herbal tea remedies for GERD/Reflux relief, healing, and even a cure....my son's been plagued with it for quite some time, and is the breadwinner of the family....hate to see him sidelined by his symtoms, and i worry about possible damage to his esophagus...he eats well and still is bothered by them....he hates OTC's, they work only 1/2 the time....
have any of you found sure fire herbal tea remedies that give relief, heal, and cure
this 'plague'?

amethyst57 said:

i read, there are quite a few herbal tea remedies for GERD/Reflux relief, healing, and even a cure....my son's been plagued with it for quite some time, and is the breadwinner of the family....hate to see him sidelined by his symtoms, and i worry about possible damage to his esophagus...he eats well and still is bothered by them....he hates OTC's, they work only 1/2 the time....
have any of you found sure fire herbal tea remedies that give relief, heal, and cure
this 'plague'?

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This isn't an herbal answer, but he might also want to have a doctor's visit just as a precaution. Prescription-strength meds might be more effective than OTCs. That's been my experience -- OTC meds did zero for my symptoms, and prescription meds knocked the problem right out. But if he's been experiencing this for a while, the doc might want to do a bit of testing to make sure it actually is GERD and not something else with similar symptoms.

Acid reflux is a nuisance. I hope he feels better soon.

I would definitely see a doctor if the reflux is daily or painful.

Occasional reflux can be treated by infusions of the following:

Catnip (relaxant)
Chamomile
Meadowsweet
Pau d'Arco
Slippery Elm
Spearmint
Yerba Mate (stimulant)

I wouldn't drink a catnip infusion at work, but you can probably find a chamomile tea with spearmint in bags at bigger grocery stores.

If it was for after dinner use, I'd brew up an infusion of Catnip, chamomile, meadowsweet and spearmint.

I hope you find something that helps him.

I agree that he should see a doctor first. Our daughter had this problem, starting as a child of 8yrs. of age. Come to find out her esophagus was not formed properly, so we had to make adjustments with her bed, (raising the head) and her diet, as well as put her on meds for awhile.

Eventually she was able to get off the meds, and sometimes can even now sleep flat, not raising the bed or piling tons of pillows under her head. she mostly controls it with diet, but occasionally will have to go back to over the counter meds now. but - rarely.

as for herbs--i was also going to note chamomile and catnip and also peppermint or spearmint, but you have to be careful w/the mints as they can also aggravate a problem. I find chamomile is the best, but that is just my own preference. I buy it in a tea bag at the grocery store, and it really helps a great deal. If your son prefers the mint, even chewing the mint gum helps--or sucking on mint candies/peppermint sticks. hopefully he can find something to help him.

Have a look at Flordis Iberogast
http://www.flordis.com.au/pages/products/iberogast.php

I suffered from acid reflux from the time I was 14 until I had a scare at 56 where food started getting stuck at the bottom of my esophagus, VERY painful. I was started on Nexium and after a month had an endoscopy that showed everything OK. I've used the prescription med since that time, but not every day now. After not being able to drink coffee for 10 years, I'm pretty much back to "normal." He should definitely see a doctor. Barrett's Syndrome is a possibility if it has been going on for a few years, and that's a precursor to esophageal cancer.

General Information
Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, the tube connecting the stomach and throat. This condition is also known as gastroesophageal reflux. When acid reflux occurs, you may have a bitter taste food or liquid in the back of the mouth. In addition, you may experience heartburn, a burning sensation in the chest. Acid reflux can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. This is a more serious condition, characterized by heartburn, difficulty swallowing, coughing, wheezing, chest pain. Some changes in lifestyle and medications may help relieve acid reflux. In addition, specific herbal remedies can help relieve or control symptoms. Always consult a physician before taking any herbal supplement but not replace other forms of treatment with herbs.
Mint combined with other herbs
Peppermint can help reduce acid reflux symptoms. Mint consumed in combination with caraway oil has been shown to reduce gastrointestinal spasms in people. In addition, there are commercial products that can help reduce the symptoms of heartburn, stomach pain and cramps. These products may contain a combination of mint, milk thistle, licorice, caraway, German chamomile plant clown mustard, lemon balm, myrrh and angelica.
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Licorice
Licorice is an herb that has been used for acid reflux and GERD. This herb, in combination with peppermint and chamomile can effectively reduce the symptoms of indigestion and heartburn. Licorice can also be found in some commercial products in which it operates in combination with other herbs to relieve symptoms of acid reflux.
Slippery Elm
American elm is a herbal remedy that has been used for symptoms of GERD. Therefore, you can find this herb effectively to help acid reflux. This herb helps to cover the mouth, throat and stomach and stimulates the nerve endings in the gastrointestinal tract increases the secretion of mucus. The increased mucus may help protect the gastrointestinal tract from the damaging effects of acid and ulcers.
Marshmallow
Marshmallow is another herb that can effectively reduce the symptoms of acid reflux. This herb can help coat and soothe the throat and reduce the irritation that can occur there. It can also be effective for indigestion, cough and sore throat. You might consider talking to your doctor about this herb to see if it works for you.

Just as an FYI- part of the reason people get "reflux" is relaxation of the muscles that connect the esophagus to the stomach. It is worsened at night, as when you lie down, your esophagus sits below the stomach, and the acid can easily travel downhill.

Things that loosen the muscles include mint, caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco products. Things that make the stomach more acidic include spicy or tomato based foods, and medications such as aspirin or advil/naproxen/non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs).

That being said- I would go to a doc. Many times, you need to take medications twice a day in cases of severe reflux, and this would be best served by having the doc call the insurance company to get full coverage. They can also check to ensure that there is not a bacteria causing the issue, which would require a course of a variety of antibiotics

Avoid eating late at night- give yourself at least 4-6 hours after eating before you lie down. You can prop up on extra pillows, to avoid the reflux traveling downhill. Avoid eating anything that is listed above- if at all possible. If not, make sure you eat them early enough to avoid night-time symptoms.

Remember- medications, baking soda- whatever- they all act only to reduce the acidity of the contents in the stomach- they do not actually STOP the reflux. The only way to stop it, in severe cases, is through a laproscopic surgery called a Nissen Fundiplication and that is not always 100% effective. You want to avoid the contents being acidic- as that is what can cause esophageal cancers, as well as issues with asthma and so forth (if it occurs and night and moves into the trachea-windpipe).

If you are on these medications- remember that it can effect other meds that you take- those that are specially coated to break down in stomach acid are ineffective, as you do not have the acid to break them down. For instance- if you take a daily coated aspirin, it will be more effective to take a regular aspirin, rather than coated, if you are on acid-reducing medication.

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

GREAT Advice, Penthasilia!

My gastro recently put me on Dexilant and it's just for a month or two (60 mgs). It does seem to be helping. I read you can only take up to two months, so must be pretty strong stuff. I DID notice I had trouble sleeping for about a week or so. Insomnia is not a common side effect, but can happen.

THANKS FOR THE INFO re other meds, Penthasilia! I didn't think about that but it makes so much since if you have less acid!

I would be extremely careful of licorice (licorice in particular) and baking soda as these are NOT good for people with high blood pressure, or on coumadin (warfarin). Not so much baking soda but you still need to be careful. Contraindications need to be looked at if you are on other meds for other things, some herbs etc can make other medical matters worse. I know it was only reflux mentioned here, but just saying in case there is anyone else reading and taking tips.

I've had reflux since 1986 and taking Zantac one a day seemed to help. These were from the doc so a higher dose than OTC.

Nexium are brilliant and omezaprole (doc only), the latter is usually used with another drug to kill heliobacter bacteria that sometimes causes this and ulcers. I would go to the doc though and get the proper med from them, for what they find to be the actual problem.

I have been suffering badly this weather as mine has seemed to have gotten worse, so I think it's back to the doc for further investigation.

Hope your son get's some peace from this soon as it is an awful thing to have.