Treat Acid Reflux

Acid reflux, or the backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus, throat or mouth, is the most noticeable symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This chronic condition can have serious consequences if left untreated. Fortunately, most cases of acid reflux respond well to treatment with a combination of lifestyle changes and medication. Surgical procedures may also provide relief. If you are experiencing symptoms of GERD, which include heartburn, regurgitation of stomach acid, coughing, postnasal drip, difficulty swallowing and even excessive erosion of tooth enamel, follow these suggestions for how to treat acid reflux.

Steps

Making Lifestyle Changes

  1. Eliminate foods that trigger excess production of stomach acid. If you experience acid reflux frequently, you may have noticed an increase in your symptoms when you eat certain foods. Try cutting back on the following foods to experience acid reflux less often:[1]
    • Chocolate
    • Spicy food
    • Garlic and onion
    • Fried or greasy foods
    • Acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus fruits
    • Mint and peppermint
  2. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Eating more often and in smaller portions helps your digestive system operate more efficiently, so acid does not build up. Limit your portions to one serving size each. Wait until you no longer feel full before eating more food.
  3. Allow several hours between eating and lying down. Give your digestive system an assist from gravity by not eating too close to bedtime. Wait at least 3 hours after eating before you lie down.
  4. Lose excess weight. Obesity is a chief contributor to acid reflux. The extra weight puts pressure on your esophagus, causing acid to rise back up.[1] Diet and exercise may eliminate symptoms without requiring further treatment.
  5. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages. Alcohol and caffeine loosen the sphincter that controls the passage of the esophagus into the stomach, allowing acid to flow backward. Avoiding them, especially before bedtime, can ease the symptoms of GERD.
  6. Stop smoking. Smoking interferes with digestion and can damage the lining of the esophagus. Even if you can't quit, it's important to cut back as much as you can.
  7. Wear loose fitting clothes. Tight waistbands compress the internal organs and may block digestion. Wear pants and skirts with elastic waistbands. If you wear form-fitting clothes and heavy fabrics at the office, change into sweats or other comfortable clothing as soon as you get home.
  8. Raise the head of your bed {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} higher than the foot. Simple gravity is a contributor to GERD, especially if you are overweight or have a hiatal hernia or other abnormality of the passage from the esophagus to the stomach. If your head is higher than your feet, acid can’t back up.
    • Use blocks to raise the whole head of the bed. Raising your head with pillows isn’t as efficient, because it exaggerates the bend in your waist.

Treating Acid Reflux with Medication

  1. Try an over-the-counter medicine. Over-the-counter antacids, such as Tums or Alka-Seltzer, may ease symptoms of occasional indigestion. Recurrent or severe heartburn and acid reflux require consultation with your doctor.
    • See your health care provider if heartburn or indigestion recurs for more than 2 weeks.
  2. Try H2 blockers. Medications such as ranitidine (Zantac), cimetidine (Tagamet) and famotidine (Pepcid) act to block the histamine receptors that signal your stomach to produce acid.
    • Take H2 blockers before eating to prevent symptoms of acid reflux, or after eating to treat heartburn.
    • H2 blockers are available over the counter.
  3. Treat acid reflux with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Medications such as omeprazole (Prilosec, Nexium) prevent the production of stomach acid.
    • Taking PPIs for up to 2 weeks may not only relieve the symptoms of acid reflux, but can also repair the damage done to the esophageal lining.
    • Some PPIs are available over the counter. Others require a prescription.
  4. Try home remedies. If you'd rather go the natural route, there are a few home remedies that are said to reduce acid reflux:
    • Drink one tablespoon of baking soda mixed with water.[2]
    • Eat raw almonds, which can balance your pH and reduce acid reflux.
    • Drink a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar every day; it helps your digestive system do it's job properly.[2]
    • Drink chamomile tea.
    • Drink aloe vera juice.
  5. Herbal remedies for GERD: Herbs have been used since many ages to reduce the hypersecretion of gastric acid. Before the invention of newer drugs like H-2 receptor blockers and Proton Pump Inhibitors, only herbal remedies were available to treat the gastric acid reflux. Herbs such as Glycerrhiza glabra or liquorice, Asparagus racemosus, Santalum album, Cyperus rotundus, Rubia Cordifolia, Ficus bengalensis, Fumaria parviflora, Bauhinia variegate, Mangifera indica, [3], are quite effective to reduce the gastric acid secretion, to heal the erosions of the soft mucosal linings of stomach and esophagus, to eliminate the infections such as H.Pylori. Similarly resonance homeopathic medicines like Natrum Phos and Argentum nit also help in GERD. Studies suggest that Natrum Phos may work by kick-starting the repair of damaged tissues. Studies suggest that Argentums nit may neutralize the acid present in the stomach for fast relief from heartburn.

Treating Chronic Acid Reflux

  1. Consult your doctor if lifestyle changes and medications do not successfully treat acid reflux. In some cases home remedies, lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications won't be sufficient. If your symptoms are painful or last more than 2 weeks, consult your doctor.
  2. Undergo testing to determine causes and rule out other conditions. Ulcers, cancer, and other conditions can cause acid reflux to occur. Tell your doctor you'd like to find out if an underlying condition is causing your symptoms.
  3. Explore the possibility of surgical repair. Certain problems, such as hiatal hernias, can be corrected through surgery. If you have chronic acid reflux, you may want to consider this option.
    • Traditional surgery can reconstruct the stomach opening to block reflux.
    • Less invasive options, done with endoscopic tubes, include stitching to tighten the loose sphincter, balloon stretching to ease blockages from scar tissue and cauterizing to remove damaged tissue.



Tips

  • Understand that acid reflux is common during pregnancy, because of high hormone levels and excess pressure on the digestive system. Your obstetrician can recommend safe treatments.
  • Tell your doctor if you are taking medications for heart disease, such as calcium channel blockers or sedatives, because these can cause or worsen GERD symptoms.
  • See your doctor if you need to take medications for more than 2 weeks.

Warnings

  • Untreated acid reflux aggravates high blood pressure and may contribute to allergy and asthma attacks.
  • The regurgitation of stomach acid and undigested food during sleep may cause aspiration pneumonia and interfere with breathing.
  • Untreated acid reflux can lead to tissue damage that may result, in some cases, in bleeding ulcers or esophageal cancer.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gerd/DS00967/DSECTION=lifestyle-and-home-remedies
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/13-surprising-home-remedies-for-acid-reflux
  3. ↑ http://www.freece.com/Files/Classroom/ProgramSlides/55c98af0-d884-4294-b3fe-095634f89649/Ulcers%20Monograph.pdf
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