Although the cause of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is still unknown, there are drugs available on the market to help with the symptoms. The problems with these medications are the side effects and their limited effectiveness.
A 2005 Taiwanese study reported in the American Journal of Physiology—Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology points to the effectiveness of acupuncture in reducing the key mechanism of GERD, transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESRs). This important muscle allows food to pass into the stomach when working normally. In people who have GERD, the muscle relaxes at the wrong times, allowing stomach acid to churn up into the esophagus and resulting in heartburn symptoms.
The producer of Aspartame, Ajinomoto is initiating a new marketing push that will rebrand the sweetener as “AminoSweet”. Aspartame is commonly found in diet soft drinks (Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi), artificial sweeteners (NutraSweet, Equal, Splenda, Spoonful), candies and flavored medicines.
Aspartame is used in many foods and beverages touted as sugar-free or low calorie. But you might want to stay away from this artificial sweetener because of studies that have investigated reports of ill effects.
Some of the side effects of aspartame can include:
• Headache • Joint pain • Change in vision • Convulsions and seizures • Hallucination • Nausea and vomiting
That acupuncture benefits patients with pain would have come as no surprise to the father of modern medicine, Sir William Osler, who practiced acupuncture over half a century before Chairman Mao and the “new” Traditional Chinese Medicine. Near the end of the 19th century, Osler wrote in his most famous work, “The Principles and Practice of Medicine” (1892) that acupuncture for acute back pain provided “the most efficient treatment.” In addition to lumbago, Osler suggested acupuncture for sciatica and neuralgia.
Steven Sonmore, LAc is a licensed acupuncturist in Minneapolis, Minnesota with over 20 years experience of health care and pain management.