Ayurvedic Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (Urdhwag Amlapitta) - A Case Report

Abstract

Background: In this busy life, people hardly find time for themselves, giving rise to a sedentary lifestyle, one of the leading causes of lifestyle disorders in which Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is also included. GERD is a very common disease found in society. It not only affects the mental but also the social life of a person. GERD causes retrosternal burning, sour eructation and anterior precordial chest pain (non-radiating) associated with constipation and anorexia. In Ayurveda, it is correlated with Amlapitta, which is one among the forty Pitta Nanatamja Vikara. In Modern science, there is no sure treatment that cures the patient completely but antacids and symptomatic treatment can give temporary relief. In such cases, Ayurvedic management proved to be the best as it cures the disease from the base. Aim: To discover the efficacy of Ayurvedic management in GERD and improve the patient’s quality of life. Methods: It is a single case study of a 50-year-old male patient who presented with retrosternal burning, sour eructation, anterior precordial chest pain (non-radiating) associated with constipation and anorexia for 5 months. After thoroughly examining the patient, Shamana Chikitsa was started (Laghu Sutashekhar Rasa, Avipattikarachurna, Kanchan Pittashamak Yoga, Abhayarishta). This treatment was given for one month. Results: The successful outcome of Shamana Chikitsa was found to be very effective with symptomatic assessment carried out after one week, fifteen days, and one month, respectively and the overall quality of life of the patient was significantly improved.