Patients with GERD diagnosed based on the GerdQ score who meet the inclusion criteria and do not meet the exclusion criteria will be included in the study. After randomization, patients will be divided into 2 groups: control group and intervention group. In both groups, patients will be treated for GERD according to current guidelines including PPIs, additional antacids as needed, and lifestyle changes. The intervention group will include additional thread embedding acupuncture therapy (TEA) twice on day 0 and day 14th. Intervention duration is 4 weeks.~The objectives of the study are to evaluate the improvement of GERD symptoms by using the evaluation score including Gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire (GerdQ) and Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD (FSSG); the evaluation score of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) will be used to evaluate the improvement of quality of life; and evaluate the safety of TEA in the treatment of GERD.~All scales will be evaluated before and after the intervention. For the GerdQ score, patients will be assessed weekly, every 2 weeks for FSSG and GERD-HRQL during the 4-week intervention. For TEA's side effects, it will be assessed regularly during the 4-week intervention.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a very common disease nowadays. Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the first-line treatment for this disease. However, the effectiveness of treatment with PPIs is still limited. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating this condition. Another treatment method is thread embedding acupuncture therapy, which is a method of burying threads into acupoints to create a more lasting stimulation than traditional acupuncture.~This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of thread embedding acupuncture and standard dose pantoprazole compared with standard dose pantoprazole as monotherapy in adults.