Homeopathic treatment
There are several herbal remedies that are said by homeopaths to be effective in relieving the symptoms of esophagitis. These are said to be effective at various points. One of the points of attack is stomach motility, i.e. the transport of food.
The homeopathic remedy nux vomica (German: Brechnuss) is intended to increase this motility so that the speed of food transport and thus of gastric emptying increases. It should be taken before a meal to stimulate digestion at the right moment.A further point of attack for the homeopathic treatment of esophagitis is the alleviation of the “corrosive” effect that stomach acid has on the mucous membrane of the esophagus. For this purpose, remedies such as Robinia (German: Falsche Akazie), Capsicum (German: Spanischer Pfeffer), Acidum sulfuricum (German: Schwefelsäure), Cantharis (German: Spanische Fliege) and Iris versicolor (German: Schwertlilie) can be used.
All these remedies are used in very high dilution, as is usual in homeopathy. For none of the remedies there is scientific proof of their effectiveness in the treatment of esophagitis. If the inflammation is caused by an injury, for example after swallowing a sharp or angular object, a doctor should always be consulted. In such cases, homeopathic remedies are rarely a sufficient therapy.
Treatment with home remedies
In most cases, esophagitis is caused by a reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus. In the long run, the acidic stomach contents are corrosive for the esophagus and thus lead to an inflammation of the mucous membrane. Home remedies for treating inflammation of the esophagus are therefore primarily aimed at reducing the reflux of gastric acid or making the gastric acid less corrosive.
There is no reliable proof of effectiveness for any of the household remedies mentioned. Among other things, the following remedies are used to treat heartburn: In general, if heartburn persists for a longer period of time, a treating family doctor should be consulted. A longer existing oesophagitis should be treated. For this purpose, effective drugs with relatively few side effects are available.
- Warm tea (for example chamomile tea)
- A handful of nuts, slowly chewed and swallowed as a porridge
- Milk (this is supposed to neutralize the stomach acid, but scientifically speaking this is not the case)
- Sodium powder dissolved in a glass of warm water (this is intended to neutralize the acidic content of the stomach)
- Chewing gum chewing
- Schüssler salt
