If you struggle with acid reflux, heartburn, or frequent bloating, you’re not alone. Many people rely on daily medications to manage their symptoms, often without knowing why these issues started in the first place. What if the root cause wasn’t what you’re eating—but how you’re swallowing? Myofunctional therapy addresses one of the most overlooked causes of digestive discomfort: improper tongue posture and swallowing patterns.
How Swallowing Affects Digestion
The tongue plays a major role in how we chew and swallow food. If your tongue isn’t moving properly—whether due to low tongue posture, a tongue thrust, or an undiagnosed tongue tie—it can interfere with the swallowing process. Many people with a tongue thrust habit unconsciously swallow excess air along with their food. This trapped air can lead to uncomfortable bloating, excessive burping, and gas. Worse, when air is swallowed frequently, it can increase the risk of acid reflux by pushing stomach acid up into the esophagus.
Why Medications Only Address Half the Problem
If you’ve been prescribed acid blockers or reflux medications, you know they offer temporary relief—but they don’t fix the cause of the problem. In fact, long-term use of reflux medications has been linked to bone loss and nutrient absorption issues. The real issue often isn’t too much stomach acid; it’s the extra air being swallowed during meals due to incorrect swallowing patterns. Myofunctional therapy works by retraining the tongue to create a proper seal on the roof of the mouth when swallowing, eliminating the pocket of air that can cause these symptoms.
Myofunctional Therapy as a Long-Term Solution
At River City Myofunctional Therapy, we help clients of all ages address swallowing dysfunction. Through targeted exercises, we teach your tongue how to function correctly, eliminating the bad habits that lead to reflux, heartburn, and digestive discomfort. Many clients find they can reduce or even eliminate their reliance on reflux medications within just a few months of starting therapy. As a bonus, they often experience improvements in breathing, sleep, and oral health too!
Tired of Living with Reflux? Let’s Get to the Root of the Problem!
