Gastric reflux massage therapy. 12-year-old boy undergoing massage therapy to treat gastric reflux. Also known as gastro-oesophageal reflux, this condition occurs when stomach acid rises upwards into the oesophagus (gullet). This can cause mucosal damage and in severe cases can progress to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Here, the therapist is applying sustained pressure with the thumb at the junction of the stomach and oesophagus. This pressure technique is used in a variety of alternative therapies, such as shiatsu massage.