Best Acid Reflux Treatment

If you often experience the pain of heartburn or other symptoms or acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), then you may be able to take comfort in the knowledge that having immediate acid reflux relief can be as simple as taking over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Antacids are medications that can help neutralize gastric acid; most of them contain calcium carbonate to do so.

For many people, an OTC antacid can give immediate though short-term acid reflux relief. Antacids work best when taken 30 to 60 minutes before you eat. One particular OTC heartburn treatment works as both an antacid and a foam barrier where the oesophagus empties into the top of the stomach. A foaming agent in this tablet creates a physical barrier to help prevent acid reflux.

There are a number of different ways to try to get relief from acid reflux, and this page outlines some of the more commonly used treatments and preventive strategies.

Medication For Acid Reflux Relief

The most common medications for the treatment of acid reflux are alkali tablets or liquids, which neutralise the acid. These are known as “antacids”, and are usually used for mild symptoms. They are generally bought over-the-counter, although some are available on prescription.

For more severe or long-term symptoms there are ranges of acid-suppressing drugs available. These falls into two main groups: proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine receptor blockers (H2 blockers).

Both of these types of medication lead to less acid being produced by the stomach. Examples of PPIs include omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, and esomeprazole. Examples of H2 blockers include cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine and nizatidine.

There are certain drugs you can take for acid reflux disease treatment but you should always ask your doctor before taking anything. Antacids are your first option since they are over-the-counter remedies that effectively neutralize acid in the stomach. Most antacids contain alginic acid and sodium bicarbonate. When alginic acid and bicarbonate are combined, they will create a foam barrier that floats on the stomach acid, reducing the number of reflux episodes.

Histamine H2 receptor antagonists are a class of drugs for acid reflux disease treatment. Examples for these are nizatidine and famotidine that lessen the amount of acid in the stomach. These drugs are also used to treat peptic ulcers and prevent the ulcers’ reappearance and to treat acid indigestion, occasional heartburn or sour stomach. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are another set of prescription medications that stop the release of acid in the stomach and intestines.

If all the aforementioned treatments don’t work, the possible acid reflux disease treatment is undergoing a radio-frequency treatment. This treatment is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure done on an outpatient basis. With the use of an endoscope, the doctor will send radio-frequency energy to create thermal lesions in the uppermost part of the stomach and the LES. This will lead to tissue constraint and will thicken the muscle wall in these areas. The patient will have reduced occurrence of acid reflux because the LES doesn’t relax when it shouldn’t and pressure in the LES is increased.

Changing Medications

The side effects of some medications can increase acid reflux symptoms, either because they cause irritation to the oesophagus or because they cause the sphincter muscle in the throat to relax.

Some drugs which may have this effect are aspirin, ibuprofen, diazepam, theophylline, nitrates, and calcium channel blockers.

Acid Reflux Remedy Natural

Acid reflux is also known as GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux disease). Heart Burn is the other word which is most commonly used to refer acid reflux. This has nothing to do with the heart but acid reflux is the condition when the fluid content of stomach reflux up to the oesophagus due to overflow through sphincter or due to excessive accumulation of gases in any part of stomach.

Acid reflux may give rise to intense irritation and pain in chest that seems to occur in heart. Frequent occurrence of acid reflux may cause inflammation, ulceration or haemorrhaging in oesophagus. Even longer persistence of this disease may lead to oesophageal cancer.

Use of antacid may relieve the pain temporarily but it affects digestive functions when administered for a longer duration. This is the reason that Acid Reflux Remedy Natural has been adopted successfully for past few years.

Major Causes Of Acid Reflux Are:

• Elevated hormone levels during pregnancy
• Taking meal before going to bed
• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol and carbonated beverages
• Irregular consumption of heavy meals

Natural acid reflux remedies that are known to give best results in this condition are:

(A) Acid Reflux Remedy Natural for long term cure:

1) Keep stomach acid levels balanced:

Increased hydrochloric acid level in stomach is major cause of this disease. These levels can be manipulated for better by using good quality salt in meals. Ordinary and cheap table salts include only sodium and chlorine extracted from sea water but good salts like Himalayan salts contain trace elements that keep acid level balanced in stomach.

2) Modify your diet:

Packed and processed food is the actual guarantee of acid reflux problems. These imbalances the bacterial level in stomach and intestinal tract and thus promote acid reflux. An apple a day doesn’t only keeps the doctor away but also keeps heartburn away. Organic fruits and vegetables must be preferred over fried meals. Increased vitamin consumption also helps in this disease because it prevents the any kind of infection in elementary canal.

3) Workout regularly:

Exercising is the primary source of good health and immunity to infections by any pathogen and acid reflux is no exception to that. Natural acid reflux remedy when coupled with a regular exercise, accelerates the process several times.

(B) Acid Reflux Remedy Natural for quick action and benefit:

1) Raw and organic apple cider vinegar:

It seems a bit bizarre to use a acid to cure other acid problems but there are some bad acids and some good ones. Apple cider vinegar definitely belongs to the good category. This is the most used method to quickly get rid of acid reflux. One tablespoon of acid cider vinegar must be mixed with water to take before each meal. It dilutes the excessive acid in stomach after eating.

2) Aloe Vera Juice:

Aloe Vera juice is generally administered to cure diarrhoea or inflammation in digestive tract but it is equally beneficial in acid reflux cure. It needs to be taken when symptoms of heart burn start. One part juice is mixed with two parts of water to get quick relief from heart burn.

3) Baking soda:

It is the most natural antacid available to cure indigestion, constipation or acid reflux. But care must be taken with its use. High blood pressure patients are asked to avoid its use and therefore, medical advice must be taken before using it.

4) Other Natural acid reflux remedy includes using ginger root and garlic. They help to kill harmful bacteria in stomach and thus prevent further acid production that may later lead to acid reflux.

What better cure than treating GERD at home with an Acid Reflux Remedy Natural. Researchers have shown that heartburn condition may get worsened if care is not taken. So, it is best to never avoid any symptom and cure it as soon as it is visible.

Home Remedies For Acid Reflux

Like other health conditions, there is no specific cause for acid reflux. Nonetheless, a failure of a band of muscle tissues called the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) can really lead to many of the problems and symptoms associated with acid reflux. The LES is a complex area of smooth muscles and several hormones, which is in charge for the opening and closing of the lower end of the oesophagus when eating and swallowing.

One of the easiest, safest and most readily available home remedies for acid reflux is water. Drinking water regularly can dilute stomach acid and wash away other stomach fluid irritants. It is advisable to drink one to two glasses of water after a meal. Bottled spring water should be your main source of liquid intake, not tap or purified bottled water (which is just purified tap). Tap water has gaseous chlorine content that can really trigger acid reflux.

You should include apple cider vinegar in your list of effective home remedies for acid reflux. It not only eases severe acid reflux attacks but prevents future attacks as well. The acid in this vinegar counteracts the acid in the stomach to make the digestion of food easier. Its acidity also locks up the lower oesophageal sphincter, protecting the oesophagus from regurgitation. Mixing two tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar in eight ounces of warm water is the recommended intake.

A lot of people hail almonds as one of the quickest home remedies for acid reflux. When you eat about six raw or blanched unsalted almonds in the morning and/or after your meals, you will be relieved of stomach pains in less than ten minutes or so. Make sure you chew the almonds properly before swallowing.

When talking about home remedies for acid reflux, cinnamon is known to soothe digestive complaints, such as acid reflux, diarrhoea, stomach ulcers, nausea and vomiting.

It also helps drive out excess abdominal gas that relieves bloating, colic and cramping caused by gas. Studies also show that cinnamon is a powerful antimicrobial that fights food-borne bacteria like E. coli.

Ginger root is an ancient cure for nausea, diarrhoea and acid reflux. Ginger root contains gingerroots that enhance the efficiency of the gastrointestinal tract. This herb also helps in calming the nerves, and eases the burning sensation caused by acid reflux. It also has some anti-inflammatory and analgesic benefits. Ginger, however, should be taken with precautions.

Experts say that as a rule, you shouldn’t take more than four grams in a day. Physicians also say that taking too much ginger can interfere with some drugs. Those who have bleeding disorders or take blood thinning medications like aspirin should never take ginger.

Which Acid Reflux Foods To Avoid

Acid reflux is a condition that impacts many people and makes them very uncomfortable, especially right after they eat. It’s a condition where hydrochloric acid in their stomach tries to come back up into the oesophagus which causes heartburn and an upset stomach. If it gets serious enough, acid reflux can even damage the tissue of the oesophagus.

The formal name for acid reflux is Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. This is a very common problem, and some people suffer from it every day. It can be caused by a number of things, including too much spicy foods, overeating in general, a stomach ulcer, lacking digestive enzymes, or a number of other factors.

A proper diet can help alleviate some of the symptoms of acid reflux. There are certain acid reflux foods to avoid helping reduce or, in some cases completely eliminate the symptoms of acid reflux.

Fried and fatty foods slow down digestion and cause food to remain inside the stomach for long periods of time. This increases pressure on the stomach, and food can be forced back into the oesophagus. Heartburn is often caused by fried food. The high-fat content in fried food makes it one of the acid reflux foods to avoid.

Chocolate has the bromine which occurs naturally in cocoa, coffee, and tea. This ingredient causes the lower part of the oesophagus to relax which allows food to flow back up the oesophagus. Chocolate is also high in fat which causes reflux. If you love chocolate and can’t live without it, eat dark chocolate, it isn’t as high in fat as milk chocolate, but really, all chocolate is bad for reflux.

Spicy Foods such as chilli, peppers, and other spices contribute to acid reflux. Some people also have problems with garlic, ginger and onions as well.

Citrus Fruits contain citric acid, which adds to acid reflux. Tomatoes, grapes, oranges, and cranberries all have high citric acid content. Some fruits also cause the lower part of the oesophagus to relax, which allow food to flow back into the oesophagus and causes acid reflux.

Alcohol consumption can also lead to acid reflux. Alcohol relaxes the valve at the lower end of the oesophagus, where it joins the stomach, which allows food to flow back into the tube. The best idea is not to drink, but if you do, have only one drink and do not drink acidic mixers such as orange juice, soda or cranberry juice at all.

Peppermint is not good to eat if one is prone to acid reflux. Many people enjoy an after dinner mint, but these can result in heartburn and acid reflux.

Peppermint is not good to eat if one is prone to acid reflux. Many people enjoy an after dinner mint, but these can result in heartburn and acid reflux.

High-fat cuts of meats, including beef, pork and lamb which stay longer in the stomach increase the chance of acid reflux. Choose, instead a lean cut of meat and eat meat only once a week. Furthermore, avoid higher fat ground beef, chicken nuggets, Buffalo wings, etc. These can cause acid reflux, too.

Dairy products, especially high-fat products such as cheese, milk, and sour cream are all acid reflux foods to avoid. All high-fat foods cause acid reflux and dairy products are no different. Avoid any dairy with high-fat content, especially late at night when it can stay in your stomach and not process through and possible flow back into the oesophagus.

Desserts such as brownies, butter cookies, donuts, etc., are pretty much anything with high fat or chocolate. These rich, chocolate or high-fat desserts will all cause acid reflux and heartburn.

Soda and other carbonated beverages are some of the primary causes of acid reflux. The bubbles in carbonated beverages expand inside the stomach and this increased pressure makes the acid reflux worse. Sodas with caffeine and those which are acidic, an almost all are even worse on acid reflux. Many sodas were tested and the worst for acid reflux were Coke, Diet Pepsi, and Tab. All sodas are bad for acid reflux, so it is recommended that anyone prone to acid reflux refrain from drinking sodas all together.

Caffeine is also bad for acid reflux, especially if it is more than one cup per day. Individuals who drink cups and cups of coffee or caffeine soda throughout the day are very likely to develop acid reflux disease. It is recommended to drink chamomile tea or one cup of lightly brewed green tea.

Acid Reflux Recipes

Acid reflux is a condition you wouldn’t want to have because you will not be able to enjoy all the food that you want. Also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), it occurs when the liquid contents of the stomach go back into the oesophagus. This condition is very painful and several of the symptoms are dyspepsia, heartburn, sore throat and chronic cough. A person with GERD should know the preventive acid reflux recipes.

It is not easy to identify the preventive acid reflux recipes simply because all those that help reduce the symptoms are typically included in all the basic food groups, but at the same time, those to be avoided are also found in them.

Acid Reflux Medication

Lifestyle changes plus antacids, H2 blockers, or proton pump inhibitors are usually the first things that are tried in the treatment of symptoms whose probable cause is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Acid reflux medication is used for the following purposes:

• Relief of symptoms like heartburn, pain, or sour taste
• Allowing the oesophagus to heal
• Prevention of GERD complications

Non-prescription medication can be appropriate when symptoms are mild and infrequent. Antacids such as Mylanta, Rolaids, Tums, and Gaviscon counteract stomach acid to mitigate heartburn. If taking acid reflux medication only when your symptoms are bothering you is what you want to do, antacids are a good option because they relieve symptoms quickly.

When acid reflux happens more frequently than twice a week, it could respond better to medication that works twenty-four hours a day, but most over-the-counter treatments, like Prilosec OTC, do not work this way. Long-term (and often lifelong) medication may be necessary for more severe GERD symptoms since these symptoms usually return if medication is stopped.