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Could a simple breathing exercise soothe chronic heartburn without drugs?

NCT ID NCT07706101

Symptom relief Sponsor: Changhua Christian Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Jul 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests whether a guided breathing exercise using a device called an incentive spirometer can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life in adults with functional heartburn or reflux hypersensitivity. Participants either practice the breathing exercise twice daily for four weeks alongside usual care, or receive usual care alone. The study compares changes in symptom scores and quality-of-life measures between the two groups.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
volume-oriented incentive spirometry-assisted diaphragmatic breathing exercise
What this could lead to
If effective, this simple breathing exercise could offer a drug-free way to reduce heartburn symptoms and improve quality of life for people with functional heartburn or reflux hypersensitivity.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study, so results may not be conclusive. The exercise requires daily commitment, and benefits may vary from person to person.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 82 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Jul 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

20 to 100 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

* Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 20 to 100 years. * Diagnosis of functional heartburn (FH) or reflux hypersensitivity (RH) according to the Rome IV criteria. * Normal upper gastrointestinal endoscopy without evidence of erosive esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, or hiatal hernia. * Normal esophageal motility on high-resolution manometry (HRM) according to the Chicago Classification Version 4.0. * Diagnosis of FH or RH confirmed by 24-hour multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) monitoring according to the Rome IV criteria and Lyon Consensus 2.0. * Able and willing to perform diaphragmatic breathing exercises and comply with study procedures. * Able to provide written informed consent. * Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant or breastfeeding women. * Severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction or chronic respiratory disease. * Inability to perform diaphragmatic breathing exercises or comply with the study protocol and scheduled follow-up visits

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Functional heartburn (FH) Reflux hypersensitivity

How to take part

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  1. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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  2. A doctor treating you

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