Summary:
This article reviews the relationship between PTSD and acid reflux, including GERD symptoms, reviewing the causes, correlations, and treatments.
At Sequoia Recovery Center, we treat the whole person through our Veterans addiction treatment programs, recognizing that mental health and physical health are often linked. Does PTSD cause GERD? It can, indirectly, and it can cause many other physical manifestations of psychological trauma. That is why we aim to provide flexible levels of care from inpatient to outpatient, with a trauma-informed program for better grounding techniques, mindfulness recovery, and physical health support through nutrition.
Does PTSD Cause GERD?
Yes it absolutely can in an indirect way, among other physical symptoms often associated with the gut. At Sequoia Recovery Center, our programs aim to help clients heal the connection between their mind and their gut. This means improving physical wellness, processing trauma, and moving toward lasting relief from stress-induced digestive problems.
This requires a combination of individual and group therapy to provide a sense of safety and support, help identify personal trauma triggers, develop coping skills, and extend to nutritional support and somatic therapy.
Nutritional Support for GERD and Recovery
Clients participating in our residential level of care will receive nutritional support through the curated meals offered as part of their program. Those who have transitioned to or are starting an outpatient program will still receive information on topics such as anti-inflammatory diets, the relationship between chronic stress and gut bacteria, and mindful eating practices.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Our team will provide clients with information on common GERD triggers, like spicy foods, processed sugars, and caffeine. Many clients are unaware that these not only spike the acid in their gut, but also anxiety levels, which can trigger worsening PTSD symptoms.
Restoring the Gut Microbiome
Chronic stress and substance use can deplete healthy gut bacteria. That’s why we focus on nutrient-dense foods that help rebuild that healthy connection, stabilize moods, improve the gut microbiome, and support clear thinking.
Mindful Eating Practices
Many people with PTSD eat quickly or skip meals due to anxiety. This type of “anxiety eating” can worsen gut health and GERD symptoms. There are many causes, but our goal is to teach techniques like deep breathing before meals or mindful chewing to help individuals better process their meals without leading to reflux.
Personalized Consultations
We aim to help individuals identify personal triggers not just for trauma but for GERD. That means understanding trigger foods, things that might exacerbate GERD symptoms when clients are already at a high stress level.
Somatic Therapy for Gut Health
Research indicates that trauma is typically held physically in the core, so things like somatic experiencing and similar somatic therapies can help our clients release tension in their core that relates to other physical symptoms, like GERD. That’s why we also incorporate physical activities and holistic offerings.
For example, when individuals with a history of trauma get triggered, that state of hypervigilance often results in clenched stomach muscles. Our therapists can help clients understand when they are physically bracing themselves, holding those muscles tightly. From there, our therapists teach gentle exercises to help individuals soften their breathing, reduce the pressure that forces acid back into the esophagus, and become much more mindful of where they might be holding physical tension.
These types of somatic therapies, combined with individual and group therapy, help our clients step out of a trauma response in which they might otherwise be stuck. These somatic therapies help clients release pent-up energy, and in doing so, diminish the excess gastric acid that the body produces as a defense mechanism during traumatic experiences.
By shifting the brain out of fight-or-flight mode and into a calmer state, our clients can help restore their digestion to normal. The goal of these therapy and holistic sessions is to teach our clients to listen to early signs, be aware before a GERD flare-up, and use somatic tools to help calm the system.
Get Care Today with Sequoia Recovery Center
Can PTSD cause GERD? Yes, indirectly. And treating both is part of what we offer at Sequoia Recovery Center. The link between PTSD and GERD is a primary example of how untreated trauma can remain within the body, manifesting in physical forms. Our admissions team is standing by, ready to help you start your inpatient or outpatient treatment for PTSD and GERD today.
Call us now to verify your insurance and find the right level of care.
FAQ
Can PTSD Cause GERD?
PTSD indirectly causes GERD by way of chronic stress that keeps the body in a constant state of fight or flight, disruptions to the digestive process, maladaptive coping mechanisms that result in consumption of items that are primary triggers for GERD, all of which can lead to acid reflux or make it worse.
How Does the “Fight or Flight” Response Affect the Stomach?
When someone gets triggered by a traumatic event, blood is diverted from the digestive system to the muscles. This is designed intentionally so that an individual can fight or flee, but when that same trigger happens outside of that traumatic event, and it happens regularly due to constant triggers from untreated trauma, it can cause slow digestion and malfunctioning esophageal sphincters. These components lead to higher levels of acid and a higher risk of acid reflux.
Is There a Link Between “Hyper-vigilance” and Stomach Acid?
Yes, as hypervigilance means adrenaline and cortisol levels remain high. Under normal circumstances, an individual might be at rest, sitting in their home, feeling perfectly safe, and when they hear something, it spikes their adrenaline. As soon as they recognize the source of the sound, they go back to a resting state. However, people with PTSD often remain in a constant state of hypervigilance, and these stress hormones produce high levels of gastric acid, so the stomach becomes more acidic and more likely to struggle with symptoms associated with GERD.
Can “Trauma Responses” Cause Bad Digestion?
Yes, due to several factors, including self-medicating and poor dietary choices. It is not uncommon for those with PTSD to use things like alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine to try to manage symptoms. Sometimes symptoms like insomnia get managed during the day with extra caffeine and then subsequently managed with extra alcohol to help fall asleep. All of these choices can be major triggers for GERD, leading to unhealthy coping mechanisms and digestive problems.
Why Do My GERD Symptoms Get Worse When Triggered?
The gut and the brain are connected via the vagus nerve, so when you get psychologically triggered, it sends a signal to the gut, and this can sometimes result in physical pain like heartburn and indigestion.
Can PTSD Treatment Improve My GERD?
Absolutely, as your nervous system transitions back to its “rest and digest” state, digestive issues like GERD often improve.
