It is also called Amlapitta in Ayurveda. Excessive secretion of improper gastric acid in stomach causes this disorder.
When pachaka pitta is vitiated by its liquid qualities and affects stomach and small intestine, this condition is produced. In a healthy condition, Pitta has hot and penetrating qualities. Hence it can digest the food properly. But in this disease, its liquid quality increases. Therefore although it increases in quantity, its digestive capacity is reduced.
Food that is very hot, oily, fried, and having pungent, sour, and salty taste, too much eating sweets, pastries , cakes, and excessive sugars can cause acidity by fermentation. Excessive consumption of alcohol and tobacco smoking are important causes. Working near heat, furnaces, staying awake late at night, working in the vicinity of petrol, colours, dyes, fumes of toxic gases can cause acidity. If the acidity, is not properly treated, it may turn into a peptic ulcer.
It has been divided in two types : upper and lower
Upper type – symptoms are predominantly present in the upper part of the stomach. There may be burning in chest, acid belching, sour taste in the mouth, nausea, and vomiting with coloured and sour acid in the vomited material. There may be pain in the abdomen with slight fever.
Lower type – symptoms are predominantly in the small intestine and patient suffers from diarrhoea with pain in the small intestine region. Although the patient suffers from loose motions, he does not suffer from weakness (which is usually present in actual diarrhoea). In both cases, loss of appetite is present.
For both types, during sama pitta stage i.e. when Pitta is vitiated due to toxins, detoxification should be done first. Later on a mild laxative like rhubarb of amalaki is the treatment of choice for removal of vitiated pitta from gastrointestinal tract. When ama gets detoxified, nirama stage anti-pitta diet should be prescribed. Patient should not to drink too much water and other fluids, taking meals at regular time is very important.
Lower type – All herbs having bitter and cooling action and having Pitta palliation action are good. Herbs of choice are swertia chirata and amalaki. Popular Ayurvedic formula like panchamrita parpati is ideal to treat this condition. This should be given in dose of 125 mgm; 3 times a day for 15 days.
Upper type – Herbs which are effective are shatavari, licorice, amalaki, sandalwood, lotus, and dorva. Similarly sea products like praval, conch, pearl are also very good. Any of these can be gien in dose of 100 mgm; twice a day for 15 days.
In sama stage or when toxins are present with vitiated Pitta, use tab. Sootashekhara 250 mgm; 3 times day till the toxins are digested.
When toxins are digested and nirama stage is present, then medicines of choice are praval panchamrit (combination of oxides of all sea products like conch, pearl etc.) 500 mgm. And tab. Amalaki – both 500 mgm; each, 3 times day for 3 weeks, are the medicines of choice. They should be combined with mild herbs that will give mental tranquility. Because in majority cases, mental stress and strain is also prominent causative factor. Nervine tonics like jatamansi and brahmi have fruitful action. These should be given as mixture of equal parts in dose of 1 gm. At night.
Lower type – After detoxifying the ama, give bhoonimbadi kwath (SS) 15 ml. 3 times day with amlapittantaka lauha (BR) 100 mgm 3 times for 15 days.
Western herbs like gotu cola, skullcap, valerian are also very effective.
Avoid all causative factors, like Pitta increasing pungent, salty, oily, fried, sour foods and drinks, carbonated drings, drings with preservatives, alcohol, fermented foods, smoking, working near heat, working with chemicals, petrol and dyes.
Green gram or mung with rice and wheat should be taken. Use plenty of milk, which is natural antacid and ghee, which pacifies Pitta. N the early morning it is advisable to eat puffed rice with crystalline sugar. This mixture absorbs the Pitta secretions accumulated in the stomach during the night. If the bowels are constipated it is advisable to eat 10 to 15 black resins at night with warm milk at night for 2 minths.
