Burning Chest Every Night? How to Address Reflux Esophagitis with Donguibogam

If you have suffered for a long time from reflux esophagitis with a burning chest, I want to share that it might not be a problem of gastric hyperacidity alone. Modern medicine, particularly neuroscience and endocrinology, is revealing that sophisticated interactions within our body lie behind this complex symptom. The dysfunction of the spleen and stomach described in Donguibogam can be explained precisely by the concept of the gut-brain axis. Our brain and gut continuously exchange information through a highway called the vagus nerve. When under stress, stress hormones such as cortisol are secreted from the brain, and through the vagus nerve, these hormones can directly lower gastrointestinal motility and weaken the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter. The lower esophageal sphincter is a muscle acting as a gatekeeper at the junction of the esophagus and stomach; if this gatekeeper does not close properly, stomach contents reflux into the esophagus. Furthermore, while stress also affects gastric acid secretion, what matters most is the capacity for gastrointestinal peristalsis. In Donguibogam, the statement that 'the spleen raises the clear qi upward and descends the turbid qi downward' can be understood as peristalsis, along with the absorption and excretion processes through which food moves smoothly from the esophagus to the stomach, and from the stomach to the small and large intestines. When this peristalsis declines due to stress or irregular eating habits, food stays in the stomach for a prolonged time, and internal stomach pressure rises, greatly increasing the likelihood of reflux. It is just like cars getting stuck in traffic on a congested road. In addition, the concept that 'the spleen weakens and dampness-phlegm accumulates' can be interpreted in modern terms as gut dysbiosis or a state of chronic inflammation. An unhealthy intestinal environment impairs the secretion of digestive enzymes and can increase intestinal mucosal permeability, inducing systemic inflammation. This inflammation again impairs vagus nerve function and increases visceral hypersensitivity, causing a person to feel severe heartburn or a foreign body sensation in the throat even with a small amount of acid reflux. This is precisely why, even with the same amount of acid reflux, one person feels no discomfort while another feels excruciating pain. Ultimately, reflux esophagitis is often difficult to resolve fundamentally merely by suppressing gastric acid secretion. Restoring the balance of the gut-brain axis, strengthening vagus nerve function through healthy lifestyle habits, and recovering the capacity for gastrointestinal peristalsis can be viewed as the core approach of 'strengthening the spleen and stomach' in Donguibogam. When you make these fundamental efforts in conjunction with pharmacotherapy, you will be able to break free from these exhausting reflux symptoms.