Your stomach is filled with naturally produced acids to aid digestion while protecting the digestive tract from infection. However, excessive stomach acid can also cause symptoms that are painful, painful, and even serious health problems. The most common symptom is heartburn or a burning feeling in the chest (acid reflux), which occurs when stomach acid moves into the esophagus. Heartburn that occurs repeatedly indicates gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can damage the esophagus and the esophagus. The best solution to overcome this problem is to reduce excess stomach acid.
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Method 1 of 3: Seeking Medical Help to Treat GERD
Step 1. Visit a doctor if necessary
If you've made the lifestyle changes as suggested above, but your symptoms don't improve, it's time to see a doctor. Prolonged GERD can cause injury to the esophagus, and is associated with other serious health problems. Long-term inflammation, as well as repeated injuries also increase the risk of esophageal cancer. Do not hesitate to seek medical attention if lifestyle changes do not relieve the symptoms of excess stomach acid.
Step 2. Ask your doctor for medication advice
Treatment of GERD is grouped according to the seriousness of the symptoms. Although many medicines can be purchased without a prescription, you should still consult with your doctor to ensure proper treatment. Your doctor can also give you a prescription for over-the-counter medications, so the cost will be covered by your insurance. Follow the instructions for using each drug and the dosage carefully to prevent side effects that may arise.
- For mild to moderate GERD: take an antacid as needed (Tums, Mylanta) to neutralize stomach acid if your symptoms occur only once a week or less. This medicine will relieve the pain you feel within a few minutes, but the effect only lasts for about 1 hour. Take mucosal protective drugs (sucralfat/Inpepsa) to protect the surface lining of the stomach and esophagus and speed healing. Take H2 antihistamines (Rantin, Acran) to reduce gastric acid secretion.
- For severe GERD (2 or more attacks in one week): take a proton pump inhibitor (omeprazole, lanzoprazole, esomeprazole, pantoprazole, dexlansoprazole, rabeprazole) to inhibit gastric acid secretion. Some of these medicines can be purchased without a prescription, and the standard dose is one tablet daily for 8 days. Side effects include: bacterial infections and diarrhea, anemia and osteoporosis, and interactions with other drugs.
Step 3. Talk about endoscopic examination
In an upper endoscopy, the doctor will insert a flexible tube with a camera to view the esophagus, esophagus, and stomach. During this exam, your doctor may take a biopsy sample to check for inflammation, the presence of H. pylori (a type of bacteria), and possible cancer. Talk to them to see if an endoscopy is needed for your symptoms.
Step 4. Consider surgery if your doctor recommends it
Although rare, there are cases of GERD that do not improve with the use of drugs. One surgical approach (fundoplication) involves wrapping the upper part of the stomach around the esophagus, then suturing it to strengthen the esophageal canal. The second approach is to place a ring of beads containing a magnet around the junction of the stomach and esophagus. This ring will close the lower esophagus, but allow the esophagus to expand as food enters.
Teenagers with lifelong GERD may consider surgery
Method 2 of 3: Using Natural and Alternative Treatments
Step 1. Try natural treatments
Not much research has been done to confirm the benefits of natural medicines against acid reflux disorders. Although these medications are not yet fully accepted by the medical or scientific community, you may be able to use them to relieve your symptoms:
- Baking soda - to 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water may help neutralize stomach acid.
- Aloe vera - drinking aloe vera juice can soothe heartburn.
- Ginger tea or chamomile - both of these ingredients are thought to relieve stress, nausea and aid digestion.
- Licorice and cumin are herbs that are widely said to be able to relieve the symptoms of this disease.
- DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice root extract) chewable tablets: a supplement available at most health food stores.
- Mastic (gum arabic): a supplement available in most health food stores.
Step 2. Avoid natural treatments that have proven to be useless
You may have heard that peppermint can relieve acid reflux, but research shows that peppermint can actually make it worse. Another trusted treatment is that milk can relieve acid reflux symptoms. Although milk can neutralize stomach acid, it will actually increase the production of stomach acid in the long run.
Step 3. Increase saliva secretion
Research states that increased saliva secretion can neutralize stomach acid. You can increase saliva secretion by chewing gum or sucking on lozenges. Just make sure to choose sugar-free products to avoid high calorie content.
Step 4. Consider acupuncture
This treatment may seem scary, but research has shown that acupuncture can relieve symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn. However, the mechanisms that play a role in this treatment are not yet fully understood scientifically.
Method 3 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Eat a healthy and balanced diet
In general, a balanced diet is rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and low/nonfat dairy products. In this diet you can also include healthy low-fat proteins such as chicken, fish, and nuts. Your diet should also contain minimal amounts of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugars. The USDA has plenty of resources you can read about how to build a balanced diet.
Step 2. Work towards achieving and maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI)
Medically, a healthy weight is determined by an indicator called the body mass index (BMI). BMI can estimate your weight according to your height and gender. The normal BMI range is 18.5-24.9. A BMI below 18.5 means thin, and between 25.0-29.9 means fat, and above 30.0 means obese.
- Use the BMI calculator to calculate your BMI.
- Adjust your diet and exercise until your BMI is in the "normal" range.
Step 3. Count calories to lose or maintain weight
Reading nutrition labels to find out the calorie count of a food is an easy and efficient way to maintain your weight. Be sure to consume calories within the recommended range for your daily needs. You can estimate your daily calorie needs by multiplying your weight in pounds by 10. So if you weigh 180 pounds, you should consume 1800 calories to maintain your weight.
- Note that this calorie count may vary according to your gender, age, and activity. To find out the exact number of calories, use a calorie calculator.
- The healthiest rate for weight loss is 1 pound a week. One pound of fat contains about 3500 calories, so subtract 500 calories from your daily intake. (500 calories x 7 days/week = 3500 calories/7 days = 1 pound/week).
- Use a website or phone app to keep track of what you eat.
Step 4. Avoid eating large portions
Eat small portions slowly, chewing food until it is smooth so that it is easier to digest. Food that is large and not chewed properly makes it take longer to digest in the stomach. As a result, you will eat too much, in addition, eating quickly also causes more air to be swallowed, resulting in bloating.
The time it takes the stomach to convey a state of fullness to the brain is 20 minutes. As a result, people who eat quickly tend to overeat
Step 5. Avoid foods that aggravate GERD symptoms
Unfortunately, there are no specific foods that are scientifically known to cure GERD. However, you can still avoid foods that are known to make it worse:
- Caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea and soda)
- Caffeine-like compounds (chocolate, peppermint)
- Alcohol
- Spicy food (chili, curry, spicy mustard)
- Acidic foods (oranges, tomatoes, vinegar-containing sauces)
- A variety of foods that can cause bloating and gas in the stomach (cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, legumes, dairy products, and fatty foods)
- Sugar or foods that contain sugar
Step 6. Exercise regularly
The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate activity at least 5 days a week. Or, you can combine 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity 3 days a week with moderate to vigorous muscle stretching twice a week.
- If you can't exercise as recommended above, try some of it, because some is better than nothing. Try to exercise as much as you can. Even a short walk is better than sitting on the couch all the time!
- The more calories you burn by exercising, the more calories you can eat! Many calorie counting programs can help you calculate how many calories you burn during exercise and can include in your diet.
Step 7. Avoid exercising too hard and excessively, especially right after eating
Depending on what you eat, the stomach takes 3-5 hours to digest food and empty its contents. To prevent acid reflux, take a break or eat less before strenuous exercise.
Step 8. Avoid bad habits that can make your symptoms worse
If you smoke or use other tobacco products, stop immediately. Alcohol can also make acid reflux worse, so stop consuming it or cut alcohol out of your diet. Finally, avoid lying down after eating. If you can't do that, try sleeping with your head elevated using a few pillows underneath.
Tips
- Make a note of the food you eat, when you eat it, the time it takes to finish the meal, and any symptoms of acid reflux that you experience within an hour after you last ate. These notes will help you identify the cause of excess stomach acid.
- When experiencing heartburn, you are advised to avoid lying on your back, because this position makes it easier for acid to move up into your esophagus.
Warning
- Too little stomach acid is also harmful to your health, as is too much stomach acid. If you overdo it with antacid tablets or any other stomach acid-reducing medications and treatments, your digestion can be disrupted and the nutrients that enter the body will be reduced. Thus, following the guidelines for using drugs as listed on the packaging or doctor's prescription to reduce stomach acid is very important.
- Although excess stomach acid is caused by the food consumed, changes in mood or stress levels, or excessive alcohol consumption, some people may have problems with persistent stomach acid levels. Persistently high stomach acid can lead to serious problems such as damage to the esophagus or the formation of ulcers. If your stomach acid symptoms do not go away, consult a doctor.
- The use of prescription antacids to reduce stomach acid can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency, which in turn can lead to pernicious anemia. This condition is a serious disease that can lead to death if not treated. Our stomachs are designed to function with an adequate amount of acid, in addition, digestion and absorption of food to obtain essential nutrients cannot take place if stomach acid "stops being expelled" as a result of prescription antacids.
