Acid reflux, or the backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus, throat or mouth, is a common 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 can also help. If you experience symptoms of GERD, including burning in your stomach, acid regurgitation, cough, postnasal drip, difficulty swallowing and even excessive erosion of tooth enamel, follow these tips on how to treat acid reflux.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Get rid of foods that trigger excess stomach acid production
If you have frequent acid reflux, you may notice an increase in your symptoms when you eat certain foods. Try to minimize the consumption of the following foods to reduce the chances of acid reflux:
- Chocolate
- Spicy food
- Garlic and onions
- Fried or oily food
- Acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits
- Mint and peppermint
Step 2. Eat little but often
Eating smaller meals more often helps your digestive system work more effectively, so acid doesn't build up. Limit your portions to one each at each meal. Wait until you no longer feel full before eating again.
Step 3. Give yourself a few hours between eating and lying down
Give your digestive system some relief from gravity by not eating too close to bedtime. Wait at least 3 hours after eating before you lie down.
Step 4. Lose excess weight
Obesity is a major cause of acid reflux. Excess weight puts pressure on your esophagus, causing acid to back up. Diet and physical activity can improve symptoms without requiring further treatment.
Consult a doctor or nutritionist to find out how to lose weight safely and effectively
Step 5. Avoid drinks that contain alcohol and caffeine
Alcohol and caffeine relax the sphincter that regulates the passage from the esophagus to the stomach, allowing acid to rise again. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine, especially before bed, can relieve GERD symptoms.
Drinking too much alcohol can also worsen GERD because it slows gastric emptying and reduces the efficiency of the intestines
Step 6. Quit smoking
Smoking interferes with digestion and can damage the lining of the esophagus. Even if you can't quit, it's important to cut down on smoking as much as you can.
If you are having trouble quitting smoking, make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor may be able to give you medical advice and prescribe medications that will help you
Step 7. Wear loose clothing
Tight belts put pressure on the internal organs and can hinder digestion. Wear pants and skirts with elastic waistbands. If you wear clothes that are the right size and are made of dense or thick fabrics at the office, change to clothes that absorb sweat or other comfortable clothes as soon as you get home.
Step 8. Elevate the head of your bed about 10 to 12 cm higher than your feet
Simple gravity can trigger GERD, especially if you are overweight or have a hiatus hernia or other abnormality in the passage from the esophagus to the stomach. When your head is higher than your feet, the acid cannot rise.
Use a block (of wood) to elevate your head completely on the mattress. Elevating your head with a pillow is less efficient, because pillows widen the curve of your waist
Method 2 of 3: Treating Acid Reflux with Medication
Step 1. Consult the use of digestive enzymes and probiotics with a doctor
Some people experience GERD because their bodies don't produce enough stomach acid, which can cause digestive problems and an imbalance of good bacteria in the digestive tract. Call your doctor and discuss whether your acid reflux is related to a lack of stomach acid, and whether digestive enzymes and probiotic supplements can help with it.
Step 2. Try using drugs from the pharmacy
Over-the-counter antacids, such as Mylanta or Promag, can relieve symptoms of mild indigestion. Stomach burning and recurrent or severe acid reflux require consulting your doctor.
- See a doctor if heartburn or indigestion returns for more than two weeks.
- Antacids can affect the body's absorption of other drugs. Take another medication at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after you take an antacid. Talk to your doctor about potential antacid interactions with other medications you are taking.
Step 3. Try an H2 blocker
Drugs such as ranitidine (Zantac), cimetidine (Tagamet) and famotidine (Pepcid) work to block histamine receptors that send messages to the stomach to produce acid.
- Take H2 blockers before meals to prevent acid reflux symptoms, or after meals to treat heartburn.
- H2 blockers are available at pharmacies.
Step 4. Treat acid reflux with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
Medications such as omeprazole (Prilosec, Nexium) prevent stomach acid production.
- The use of PPI drugs for up to 2 weeks will not only relieve the symptoms of acid reflux, but can also repair the damage done to the lining of the esophagus.
- Several types of PPI medicines are available in pharmacies and can be purchased without a prescription. Some other types must be prescribed by a doctor.
- The use of PPI drugs and other stomach acid-reducing drugs for several years can reduce the body's ability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium, iron, and zinc. Consult your doctor to see if you need supplements to prevent vitamin deficiencies.
Step 5. Use home remedies
If you prefer natural remedies, there are some home remedies that are said to reduce acid reflux:
- Drink one tablespoon of baking soda mixed with water.
- Eat raw almonds, which can balance your pH and reduce acid reflux.
- Drink a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily; Apple cider vinegar helps your digestion to work properly.
- Drink chamomile tea.
- Drink aloe vera juice.
Step 6. Ask your doctor about using herbal remedies to treat GERD
Herbal plants have been used for a long time to reduce excess gastric acid secretion. Before modern drugs such as H-2 receptor blockers and PPIs were invented, there were only herbal remedies available to treat acid reflux. Herbs such as Glycyrrhiza glabra or liquorice, Asparagus racemosus, Santalum album, Cyperus rotundus, Rubia Cordifolia, Ficus benghalensis, Fumaria parviflora, Bauhinia variegata, and Mangifera indica may reduce gastric acid secretion.
- Always consult a doctor before you use herbal remedies. Some herbal medicines may interact with other medicines and cause unwanted side effects.
- Do not rely on herbal remedies alone to treat life-threatening diseases, such as H. pylori infection or erosion of the stomach and esophagus walls. Visit your doctor for a checkup if you suspect you have any of these problems.
Method 3 of 3: Treating Chronic Acid Reflux
Step 1. Consult your doctor for severe and prolonged acid reflux
In some cases, the use of home herbal remedies, lifestyle changes and medicines from the pharmacy is not enough. If your symptoms are excruciating or last more than 2 weeks, consult your doctor.
Step 2. Get tested to determine the cause of acid reflux as well as other conditions
Ulcers, cancer, and other conditions can cause acid reflux. Tell your doctor that you want to find out if certain conditions are causing your acid reflux symptoms.
Step 3. Find out possible improvements from the operation
Certain problems, such as a hiatal hernia, can be corrected through surgery. If you have chronic acid reflux, you may want to consider this option.
- Conventional surgery can restore the gastric opening to inhibit reflux.
- Less invasive options, performed with an endoscope, include sutures to tighten the loosened sphincter, stretch balloons to reduce blockages from scar tissue and heat or burn certain parts of the body to remove the damaged tissue.
Tips
- See your doctor if you need to take medication for more than 2 weeks.
- Understand that acid reflux is common during pregnancy, due to high hormone levels and excess pressure on the digestive system. Your gynecologist can advise on safe treatment.
- Tell your doctor if you are taking medicines for heart disease, such as calcium channel blockers or tranquilizers, because these medicines can cause or worsen GERD symptoms.
Warning
- Untreated acid reflux triggers high blood pressure and can contribute to allergies and asthma attacks.
- Untreated acid reflux can lead to tissue damage which in some cases can lead to internal bleeding ulcers or esophageal cancer.
- Regurgitation of stomach acid and undigested food during sleep can cause aspiration pneumonia and interfere with breathing.
