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Stomach acid rises when lying down, could it be Damjeok?

Do you frequently experience hot stomach acid rising into your throat when you lie down after a late-night snack or even when you're just resting? The complaint "stomach acid keeps rising when I lie down" goes beyond simple discomfort, significantly lowering the quality of daily life and becoming a major culprit in sleep disturbance. Especially if symptoms worsen at night, it can make it difficult to fall asleep or cause repeated awakenings, leading to chronic fatigue. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), where stomach acid refluxes and irritates the esophageal mucosa causing inflammation, is very common in modern people, but many often dismiss it as just indigestion or stress. However, if these symptoms repeat, it could be an important warning signal from your body.

💡 [Key Answer] 3 most common causes of stomach acid rising when lying down: ① Weakening of lower esophageal sphincter function / ② Excessive stomach acid or decreased gastrointestinal motility / ③ Damjeok (痰積) accumulated on the outer wall of the stomach. Dalimchae Clinic helps with fundamental treatment by detoxifying Damjeok, the toxin on the outer wall of the stomach, and normalizing gastrointestinal function.

The biggest reason stomach acid rises when lying down or in a horizontal position is due to the influence of gravity and the decreased function of the lower esophageal sphincter. When standing, gravity helps prevent stomach acid from refluxing to some extent, but when lying down, stomach acid can easily pass into the esophagus. In particular, the lower esophageal sphincter acts as a door at the boundary between the stomach and esophagus to prevent reflux of stomach contents. If the closing force of this sphincter weakens, stomach acid refluxes into the esophagus.

Irregular eating habits of modern people, overeating, stress, and obesity are cited as major causes of weakening sphincter function. Also, late dinners or late-night snacks increase stomach acid secretion while the stomach digests food and cause food to stay in the stomach longer, increasing the risk of reflux. This decrease in gastrointestinal function is seen as deeply related to 'Damjeok (痰積)' in Korean medicine. Toxins accumulated on the outer wall of the stomach lower the motility of the stomach, preventing stomach contents from being properly digested and stagnating, which increases pressure and eventually causes stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus.

Yes, chronic heartburn and acid reflux symptoms, especially in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia, show significant improvement with Korean medicine treatment. While proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are Western medicine treatments, strongly suppress stomach acid secretion, they often show high recurrence rates when stopped and there are concerns about other side effects with long-term use, so interest in Korean medicine treatment is increasing.

In a systematic review and meta-analysis study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology in 2019, the effectiveness of herbal medicine treatment for patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders was evaluated. This study comprehensively analyzed a total of 49 studies published until July 2019, involving 7,396 patients and 33 types of herbal medicine prescriptions. As a result of the analysis, the herbal medicine treatment group showed a statistically significant effect in improving symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders compared to the placebo group. The researchers explained that these results appear because herbal medicine acts complexly on various pathophysiological factors of functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastrointestinal sensory abnormalities, decreased motor function, and Gut-Brain Axis imbalance.

Also, in an Osaka clinical study mentioned in a Maeil Ilbo contribution in 2020, the results of administering Rikkunshito (六君子湯) for 3 months to 54 infants under 1 year old diagnosed with GERD were reported. In this study, infants who took Rikkunshito showed a statistically significant decrease in the number of vomiting episodes compared to the control group, it helped with weight gain, and not a single case of side effects occurred. These research results suggest that herbal medicine can be an effective treatment option for acid reflux and gastrointestinal function abnormalities.

At Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch, rather than simply suppressing symptoms, we pursue fundamental improvement and prevent recurrence of symptoms like stomach acid rising when lying down through treatment that removes Damjeok, the waste accumulated on the outer wall of the stomach, and strengthens the gastrointestinal function itself.

Dalimchae Clinic's gut detox treatment focuses on resolving the root cause of GERD, such as stomach acid rising when lying down. In our body's digestion process, if food is not properly digested and toxins (Dam-eum, Damjeok) accumulate on the outer wall of the stomach, gastrointestinal peristalsis decreases and problems occur in overall gastrointestinal function. This Damjeok increases the pressure inside the stomach, causing stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus, leading to chronic heartburn, foreign body sensation in the throat, chest burning, and the symptom of stomach acid rising when lying down.

Dalimchae Clinic focuses on treating this Damjeok and detoxifying the gut. Gut detox treatment goes beyond simply suppressing stomach acid secretion and works to loosen the hardened Damjeok on the outer wall of the stomach and help the activity of digestive enzymes. Through this, it restores the peristaltic function of the stomach and facilitates the discharge of food from the stomach to the duodenum, lowering the pressure inside the stomach. A healthy gut also contributes to alleviating digestive symptoms caused by stress by restoring the balance of the Gut-Brain Axis, which is closely connected to brain health.

This gut detox treatment overall strengthens gastrointestinal function to prevent recurrence of GERD and improves various related symptoms such as indigestion, bloating, and foreign body sensation in the throat due to acid reflux. Many people looking for a Songdo Damjeok clinic are recovering a healthy digestive system and a comfortable daily life through this fundamental treatment.

Check the following items and count how many symptoms apply.

• When I lie down to sleep, stomach acid rises into my throat.
• I often feel a burning sensation in my chest at night.
• I feel a foreign body sensation in my throat, and I often have a hoarse voice.
• Dry cough or asthma particularly worsens at night.
• The feeling of being bloated and stuck after a meal lasts for a long time.
• Burping or acid eructation occurs frequently, and I think my bad breath has worsened.
• Upper abdominal pain of unknown cause appears.
• I feel extreme fatigue the next day after having trouble sleeping.

Judgment Criteria & Recommendations:

• If 3 or more apply: You can suspect GERD and Damjeok disease. Review Korean medicine complex treatment for improving gastrointestinal function.
• If 5 or more apply: It is highly likely that symptoms have become chronic. Immediate visit is recommended to prevent esophageal damage and complications.
• At Songdo GERD Clinic, it is important to identify the exact cause through precision diagnosis and start customized treatment.

Q. How long does the symptom of stomach acid rising when lying down last? A. There are large individual differences, but if neglected without efforts to improve eating and lifestyle habits, symptoms can become chronic and last from months to years. In severe cases, esophageal mucosal damage may progress, so early treatment is important.

Q. I have GERD along with Damjeok disease, can they be treated together? A. Yes, at Dalimchae Clinic, we treat the root cause of GERD as Damjeok, so if both symptoms are present, simultaneous improvement is possible. By detoxifying Damjeok and strengthening gastrointestinal function, reflux symptoms naturally alleviate.

Q. If acid reflux is severe, should I brush my teeth frequently? A. Brushing your teeth immediately after acid reflux may actually be bad for dental health. Since the tooth surface weakened by stomach acid can be worn away, it is better to rinse your mouth with water and then brush your teeth after about 30 minutes.

Q. Can GERD heal naturally? A. Temporary symptoms can improve with lifestyle habit changes, but in chronic cases, it is difficult to heal naturally and recurrence is frequent. It is important to restore gastrointestinal function and remove Damjeok through active treatment.

GERD, such as stomach acid rising when lying down, is not a problem that can be solved by enduring. You no longer have to ignore the signals your body has been sending for a long time. If you approach in the right direction, the body responds faster than you think. Bring your symptoms exactly as they are. At Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch, we will find the cause together.

Where life blooms. For herbal medicine, it's Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check your symptoms similar to mine through the AI consultation on the Dalimchae Clinic website first!

This article is health information compiled by Dalimchae medical staff based on questions frequently received in the treatment room. Medical Supervision | Gut & Digestion Treatment Standards Dalimchae Clinic Songdo Branch Korean Medicine Doctor Oh Hyun-min (Reflux Disease Column)