Holistic Relief for Chronic Back Pain and Acid Reflux: Challenging Conventional Wisdom

This podcast episode features Dr. Ekberg and Scott Henderson, who shares his journey from chronic back pain and 15 years of severe acid reflux to complete relief through Dr. Ekberg's unique approach. Scott initially sought help for debilitating back pain that conventional methods like ice and rest failed to alleviate. After finding Dr. Ekberg online, he experienced significant improvement with chiropractic adjustments, regaining his ability to perform daily activities and heavy yard work without pain.

Beyond back pain, Scott casually mentioned his long-standing struggle with heartburn and reflux, which he had managed daily with prescription proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and over-the-counter medications like Zantac and Pepcid. Dr. Ekberg conducted various tests and recommended a specific course of action, including supplements and adjustments. Scott was astonished by the immediate efficacy of the treatment, experiencing relief from his reflux symptoms on the very first day, a stark contrast to his 15 years of daily medication dependency.

Dr. Ekberg then delves into the underlying mechanism of acid reflux, challenging the widely held belief that it stems from too much stomach acid. Instead, he posits that reflux often develops due to insufficient stomach acid, specifically hydrochloric acid (HCl). He explains that the body produces HCl for a crucial reason: to properly digest proteins. When HCl levels are inadequate, proteins remain undigested, causing food to sit in the stomach for too long, leading to secondary acid formation, reflux, and subsequent inflammation and irritation further down the digestive tract.

This alternative perspective highlights the counterproductive nature of traditional treatments like PPIs and antacids, which neutralize stomach acid and further impair digestion. By reducing stomach acid, these medications inadvertently lead to malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies, as food is digested to an even lesser degree. Dr. Ekberg's approach, by addressing the root cause of insufficient stomach acid, not only alleviates symptoms but also enhances overall nutrient absorption, contributing to broader health benefits such as improved bowel regularity, as noted by Scott. The episode underscores the importance of understanding the body's natural processes and seeking solutions that support, rather than suppress, its functions.

my back pain isn't there at all anymore I'm able to do the things that I feel like I I want to do work in the yard lift heavy things in the yard all sorts of things that I have always done and I'm back, back to being able to do that

I struggle with this for 15 years and had been taking numerous types of the prescription and I start off with prescription medications you know the proton pump inhibitors

I was having to take those every day and I thought this can't be good

what was surprising to me was how quickly those supplements worked with the very day I started taking them

most people and most of the traditional belief in our health care system is that heartburn and reflux comes from too much stomach acid when in fact it comes it develops because of not enough stomach acid

the body doesn't do anything by mistake that if the body makes hydrochloricAcid there's a reason for it

if you don't digest proteins properly you missed one of the most important steps of digestion

the traditional way then with proton inhibitors and tums and all those things they're trying to neutralize the StomachAcid that the body is making on purpose so now you're digesting food even to an even lesser degree and now you have malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies

not only are the symptoms going away but you're actually getting more nutrition out of your food

I feel better overall this isn't TMI I have more regular bowel movements