Acid Reflux Medicine
Acid reflux medicine is essential for treating those nasty and painful symptoms associated with the condition but before you get the medicine you need, it’s time to get diagnosed. This can only be done by a doctor so it’s time to make that appointment!
After this appointment has been made and you know that your symptoms are definitely caused by acid reflux you can then go on to choose the right treatment for you and thankfully, there are many options available.
First of all, one of the first things that you will need to work out is whether or not you would benefit from over the counter acid reflux medicine or prescription medicine. There are both advantages and disadvantages to both of these options and some may be more expensive than others but incidentally it is down to personal preference.
The doctor may advise you to go with one treatment and it would be better to try this option first while trying to incorporate a few lifestyle changes to see if that makes a difference.
Either way, whether you go for the over counter acid reflux medicine or the prescription ones that are advised by your doctor, they are both designed for short term use and should not be used over longer periods of time.
The acid reflux medicine that you can buy over the counter is likely to be one of the following:
- Antacids
- H2 Blockers
- Proton Pump Inhibitors
- Combination Medicines
Again, these will also have their advantages and disadvantages and some are likely to be more expensive than the others but they are great for relief on the go. They are easily bought in most places and can be purchased while you are out and about to provide comfort when any prescription medicines have ran out or are not available.
It is really not a good idea to take these alongside prescription medication that your doctor may have given you and if this is an option that you wish to use, always speak with your doctor first to make sure that there are no health risks.
At the end of the day the prescription acid reflux medicine versus over the counter options is a debate that can only be argued by those that are using them. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another person and finding the right acid reflux medicine is basically a method of trial and error until one is found that works the best.
Things You Must Know Before Starting Acid Reflux Medication
There are so many different treatment options available for the acid reflux or the GERD or Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disorder. These options include lifestyle modification, heart burn modification as well as acid modification. Apart from these, there are home remedies, natural remedies too for the GERD.
Now, there would be so many of you who might not know what GERD is and what are the factors that cause it? When the contents of the stomach and the digestive juices that are present in the stomach leak back into the oesophagus area and then they are known as acid reflux, or the GERD.
This production leads to very painful burning sensation in the esophageal area and even that burning may be felt in the throat area. This painful or the burning sensation which arises in the right side of the chest is known as heartburn.
There are five major categories which involve the heart burn treatment with the use of acid reflux medication. Let us give some insight into each of the five categories.
The first categorization includes Amphogel, Alternagel, Alka-2, Titralac and Tums. All these medicines which are in category I have the property which are helpful in neutralizing the acids present in the stomach.
These are very famously known as Antacids and these can be purchased across the country as these are available without the prescription. These antacids have the property that they can be very easily taken whenever there are the symptoms of heart burn.
Some medicines such as Famotidine, Cimetidine and Rinetidine aid in blocking the acid production in the stomach. These can also be used whenever you feel the symptom of heartburn. These medicines are categorized under H2 receptors and these medicines are little slower in showing their effect to the patients recovery.
There is third category of these medicines like omeprazole, Nexium, lansoprazole, rabeprazole. Especially, Nexium is a popular medicine for GERD. Nexium contains the drug esomeprazole and medicines like Nexium are helpful in suppressing the production of digestive acids in the stomach. These category medicines are considered the most effective and reliable cure for heartburn diseases.
These medicines such as Nexium and Omeprazole, which are also categorized under the proton pump inhibitors, are also known to heal the stomach ulcerations. Which are formed due to erosive esophagitis and these are known to provide relief from the laryngitis which are very common in heart burn.
There is another categorization of the medicines for the treatment of acid reflux or the GERD, and this includes the medicines that protect the mucosal lining of the esophagus from the corrosive effect of the acidic digestive juices which are present inside the stomach. Although this category of medicines are not so often prescribed but these are found to be very much reliable and effective in heart burn where painful ulcerations are treated.
The last category of the acid reflux or GERD treatment are the medicines like Baclofen, which help in strengthening the lower esophageal sphincter and this is considered effective acid reflux medication. This medicine helps in the treatment of heart burn that may be caused either by acid as well as non acid reflux.
The Importance of the Right Acid Reflux Medication
You have probably suffered from heartburn, a good quantity of individuals have. Lots of folk I know carry in the pockets medications just in case it suddenly hits. They know that when you purchase acid reflux soreness it can be enormously disabling.
So, a good acid reflux medication seems to be an easy solution, just pop a couple of antacids in your mouth and you are all right at least for a short while. With a lot of folk having heartburn, taking an antacid is quite acceptable. But it may hide a more sinister problem Gastroesophageal reflux disease “GERD”.
If you have heartburn on a regular basis say more than twice a week it is required that you see your physician for a diagnosis. Taking antacids regularly may be an acid reflux medication giving you short phase relief but they can expose you to complications since they contain either or both aluminium or magnesium. A drug guide may only tell you what they are used for but not the complications if more than used.
If you have a strong heartburn symptom on a regular basis you will probably have to have a change your lifestyle. Your physician can give you the advice you need, and he may also send you for tests if your acid reflux symptoms are acute and then prescribe you another acid reflux medication.
If you are diagnosed with GERD you may also be sent for endoscopy to see if you have a hiatus hernia and check for damage to your oesophagus that reflux may have caused. Hiatal hernias are one of the troubles that may cause heartburn.
Hiatal hernia treatment is not frequently required on its own, you might go through life without knowing that you have one, but they do contribute to GERD and as such may need a different acid reflux medication.
Normal antacids can nullify your stomach acid for a short period of time, but you would have to take them frequently, say once an hour to neutralize your acid completely. To combat severe GERD symptoms a more effective acid reflux medication is required.
There are two primary aims for the treatment of GERD. The first one is for acid reflux relief. Preventing common soreness improves the sufferer of GERD in everyday life. The second is to stop the sufferer from developing more serious complications. This comprehends Barrett’s esophagus and esophagitis two major recurring conditions you can obtain as a result of GERD.
The first acid reflux medication that came about for the specific job of reducing gastric acid is termed histamine 2-receptor antagonists (H2 antagonists). They work by means of blocking the histamine created via the stomach. Stomach acid is made more acidic by way of histamine and by partially stopping the production of histamine; H2 antagonists suppress the design of stomach acid.
The main advantage this acid reflux medication is more than antacids. As a matter of fact have their effects lasts a lot longer, 6-10 hours as opposed to antacids 1-2 hours. They have a greater desired effect and can be taken before a meal to dwarf the chance of gastric acid reflux.
Which Acid Reflux Medicine Is Right For You?
The gastrointestinal arrangement of the body is made of the accompanying parts – the oral hole, the throat, and the stomach, the digestive system which includes the small and large intestines, and the anus. The primary capacity of the Gastrointestinal System is to process particles, retain digestive juices and expel undigested materials which, of course, are the excrement.
Acid reflux happens when the fluid from the stomach which contains pepsin, an aggravating substance created by the chief cells, heads out to the throat passing through the cardiovascular sphincter. The cardiovascular sphincter is the part that joins the stomach and the throat.
Its duty is to ensure that the gastric acids stay in the stomach and not get up to the throat, where there can be oesophageal aggravation which will prompt an ulcer. On the off chance that the heart sphincter neglects to close in the wake of getting food from the throat, acid reflux happens.
In the event that you weren’t aware, it is ordinary for some fluid reflux in the stomach to happen. On the other hand, the fluid found in those with acid reflux is more acidic. This may be because of some hereditary impacts, particularly, an expanded number of parietal cells which create pepsin in the stomach.
The body has systems to secure itself from the hurtful effects of acid reflux. Most reflux happens at day when individuals are ordinarily in their upright position. In this position, the refluxed fluid will most likely simply move once again to the stomach in view of gravity.
Besides, while people are awake, they persistently swallow, whether there is a reflux or not. At the point when people swallow, the fluid ordinarily goes go into the stomach. The last body resistance to reflux is the salivary organs, which create spit. Spit has bicarbonate, so every time an individual swallows; the bicarbonate in the salivation kills the acid that stays in the throat.
Fortunately, there are numerous cures for acid reflux accessible and acid reflux medicine is one of them. Here is a fraction of the numerous acid reflux solutions accessible in drugstores.
1. Antacids
These medications are utilized to kill the acids in the digestive tract and are primarily taken in for help of mellow manifestations, for example, periodic scenes of heartburn and acid reflux. They likewise act to affect the preventive components of our stomach by developing the discharge of mucous and bicarbonate. They can be purchased without the doctor’s prescription.
2. Histamine blockers
Histamine blockers block the generation of stomach acids by distancing the activities of histamine. Histamine is a concoction in the body that advertises the generation and emission of acids in the stomach. Against histamines are accessible even without solution and offers easing of indications in a large portion of the patients with incessant acid reflux.
The three most basic histamine blockers are Ranitidine, Famotidine and Nizatidine. They piece gastric acid emissions and push recuperating of the ulcer by killing its cause.
There are different meds you can purchase.
On the other hand, remember that while medicines may work, they are aimless on the chance that you continue practicing a few things which exacerbate your acid reflux. Case in point, if you are a smoker or a continual drinker, or consume too much food, the effects of the medicines you take will be balanced by these outside acid reflux triggers. So, what you ought to do to dispose of acid reflux totally is, you must dodge each and every component that causes it.
Doctors suggest patients to get a solid dietary change. Dodge certain nutrition types which cause the lower esophageal sphincter to open. You ought to just incorporate in your eating methodology the ones which are sheltered to consume. Then again, quit smoking and begin working out. Get thinner. Dispose of things that expand weight on the stomach.
Consequently, the most ideal approach to make acid reflux vanish is by taking an acid reflux medicine affirmed by a doctor and joining supportive preventive measures in your day by day way of life.
Natural Acid Reflux Medication
For those who suffer from acid reflux and would like to reverse its discomforting effects, a lot of medications are available. With so many choices, a lot of the consumers opt for a natural acid reflux medication to aid their war on acid reflux.
These natural acid reflux medications are sometimes mass-produced by pharmaceutical companies, alongside the more common drugs, or they can be perfected at home, using natural ingredients.
With these options in mind, some information is essential if you want to pick the best natural acid reflux medication available to your specific condition.
Potency
A natural acid reflux medication’s potency can tell you a lot about the efficiency with which it is going to react on the acid in your stomach, and the rate at which this is most likely to occur.
Certain natural acid reflux medications are very potent, although with the higher degree of potency comes a lower degree of accessibility. Supermarkets and grocery stores often provide over-the-counter natural acid reflux medications, and usually in varying degrees of potency.
This will aid you to discover the correct potency, suitable to relieve the effects of your specific type of acid reflux disease.
Usability
On the quest for the perfect natural acid reflux medication, one of the important factors should be the ease of use of the product in question. There are some natural acid reflux medications on the market which are very difficult to ingest, which could possibly discourage the user from taking the medication in the correct way, deteriorating the condition over time.
Therefore, make sure not to underestimate the importance of finding a natural acid reflux medication which is uncomplicated to use, in order to make sure that swallowing the pill does not become as much of a hell as suffering from acid reflux.
Availability is also important when thinking about the right natural acid reflux medication to find. Consistency and regular use demand that the product of your choice is always readily available.
A brand name which is recognizable and consistent in its supply is often considered a better choice. Certain pharmaceutical producers constantly change their line-up of natural acid reflux medications, giving the consumer more choice.
When a certain natural acid reflux medication then runs out of stock at regular intervals, customers are discouraged from buying it.
Speed of Relief
How fast the type of natural acid reflux medication will work should also be taken carefully into consideration. There are those medicines which last for very long, but take comparably long to take effect as well.
Others provide almost instantaneous relief, for a short period of time. Instantaneous medication should also make sure the affliction doesn’t worsen in the future.
For patients who experience regular or constant acid reflux, the long-term medication will have to be ingested every twenty-four hours in order to provide a successful alternative.
Acid Reflux Medicine and Alternatives
Acid reflux is progressively getting to be among the most well-known health issues that the population is confronting. Its seriousness changes from case to case, however, one basic thing about it is the sign of the reverse of the digestive acid and compounds that causes aggravation and even harm to the throat.
The irritation is the thing that causes the outward signs and manifestations of acid reflux with the most widely recognized as hacking, wheezing, indigestion, bloating, sickness, and a disorder known as dyspepsia or stomach distress that adds more to the side effects. To dodge further inside damage, certain sorts of acid reflux medicines are presented.
Proton Pump Inhibitors are an accumulation of acid reflux medicine that offers a quick diminishing activity on the side effects given off by the issue. A portion of the more normal sorts are rabeprazole, lansoprazole, esomeprazole, pantoprazole, and omeprazole.
To lessen the stomach acidity, this gathering makes a move by blocking the stomachs proton pumps. Proton Pumps are modest parts of the stomach that impels hydrogen particles, accordingly making the insides of the organ acidic.
H2 Blockers or Histamine2 receptor adversaries are acid reflux medicines that demonstrate by blocking the capacities of histamine. Histamine is a substance emitted by the stomach that empowers the arrival of the acidity-creating hydrogen particles. Most manifestations of this acid reflux medicine can be purchased over-the-counter, with higher measurements that can be gotten as prescribed for more genuine cases.
The high cost that accompanies being treated with medicine and the long haul side effects that acid reflux medications may cause have lead many people to welcome the choice of other, natural acid reflux medicines.
Apple cider vinegar is likely the most prevalently utilized home acid reflux medicine that helps facilitate the manifestations of the condition amid the day. The vinegar originates from matured fruits that have been squeezed.
The unfiltered type of the fruit juice vinegar is known to be viable with the stringy and small fruit lumps considered as the ones containing its mending properties. The vinegar is not just a well known decision as acid reflux medicine, as it additionally contains natural microscopic organisms’ contenders that have since a long time ago ended up being valuable to wellbeing.
A marshmallow herb deductively known as Althaea officinalis is an alternate among the proposed acid reflux medicine. What it contains that aide in mitigating and covering the coating of the throat securing it from aggravation is known as adhesive.
Different sorts of characteristic acid reflux medicine proposed by cultivators include: aloe Vera juice, elusive elm, chamomile, orange peel, and digestive sharp flavouring.
Many people choose to use natural home remedies instead of acid reflux medicines because would rather avoid the risks that come with the conservative medicines available today. These remedies work best when they are paired with lifestyle changes tailored to reduce the causes of acid reflux in your life.
The main things to change in your life to reduce your dependence on acid reflux medicine are to quit smoking, eat healthier, and exercise more. You should already be doing these to live a healthier life so it comes at no shock that they also help with heartburn.
The Downside of Acid Reflux Medication
Like many diseases and conditions, acid reflux has no cure, but its symptoms can be treated. Acid reflux medication and drugs serve to alleviate symptoms of acid reflux, as well as inhibit some of the mechanisms that cause it. For most sufferers, the routine goes like this: heartburn, acid reflux, acid reflux medication. Then the cycle repeats in perpetuity. Unfortunately, in some cases, this can cause more problems than it helps.
There are three facts that must be considered when looking at taking acid reflux medication. First, your stomach needs to have a pH level of 3.0 or less. Second, when your pH levels are above 3.0, you create a more alkaline condition that is a precursor to disease. Third, when you take acid reflux medication or antacids, they keep your stomach’s pH above 3.0.
Conversely, when your stomach is at the proper pH level, it works as it should. Ingested meat, for example, will be properly converted into amino acids. Vitamins are extracted from the food you eat. Food digested in the stomach trigger hormonal responses and digestive juices.
Bacteria are kept at bay and stops bacterial interference of vitamin B-12 absorption. Stomach pH levels above 3.0 trigger acid secretions to help balance pH levels. Acid reflux medication artificially raises pH levels and interferes with your stomach’s natural acid production.
What are the different types of acid reflux medication, and what do they do? First, there are over-the-counter treatments. Antacids, including Tums, Rolaids, or Mylanta neutralize acid on contact to help with heartburn symptoms. Receptor Antagonists, or H2 blockers, inhibit the production of stomach acid.
When there is less acid, there is a reduced chance of it churning up into the esophagus. Popular H2 blockers include Zantax and Pepcid AC. H2 blockers are available in varying strengths, from over-the-counter strength to prescription strength.
The second group of acid reflux medication is promotility agents. These medications do three things. One, they alleviate the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, which is the valve at the top of the stomach that allows food to pass through but keeps acid from coming back up. Two, they assist with peristalsis, which is the act of food moving through your stomach. Third, they help prevent acid from entering the esophagus.
The third group of medication is proton pump inhibitors. These work to reduce acid in the stomach. Popular proton pump inhibitors include Prevacid and Prilosec.
Acid Reflux Medication For Children
Acid reflux symptoms in children and infants can be hard to detect. The lack of clear communication is a major stumbling block. Frequently, children cannot even tell you where it hurts or give you good clues to what is happening to them.
Infants, of course, can only complain and cry which increases stress levels and urgency. This is especially true for those children suffering from symptoms of acid reflux or gastric esophageal reflux (GER) also known as plain gastric reflux.
According to experts, the most common acid reflux symptoms in children include frequent or chronic vomiting, persistent cough chest pain, wet burps and regurgitating and re-swallowing. Unfortunately, some of these symptoms are also common with healthy children and infants.
Additional symptoms of acid reflux in children include bad breath, constant crying (colic), picky eating, sore throat, ear infections, night-time sleep problems, gagging and choking, drooling, chronic running nose and many more. Any parent will identify with many of these listed symptoms. Every child has one or more of these symptoms before he or she reaches the terrible twos.
So, what is a father or mother do since so many of these symptoms are caused by something or many things that have nothing to do with acid reflux symptoms in children? The easiest answer is to consult with your paediatrician or family physician.
Children frequently do out grow acid reflux disorders. However, ignoring acid reflux symptoms in children can lead to a more serious condition called GERD or gastro oesophageal reflux disease. Basically you cannot afford to take a chance and need to consult with a medical professional that is familiar with acid reflux symptoms in children.
Acid reflux symptoms in children are diagnosed by providing the doctor a list to the child’s observed symptoms. These details and along with a good exam should allow the doctor to make a correct diagnosis. However there are times when additional test may be required especially if gastro esophageal reflux disease is suspected.
Many doctors will use a pH probe to determine acid level above the lower esophageal sphincter or LES. This valve or sphincter is supposed to keep stomach acid from flowing up the esophagus. However, if the muscle that controls the opening and closing of LES is weak or damaged then acid is allowed to reflux up the esophagus.
The pH probe is passed through the nose into the esophagus. This thin tube then left in the lower portion of the esophagus where it measures the pH levels and frequency of gastric reflux over a period of 12 to 24 hours. If high levels of acid reflux are detected then further test may be required.
Frequently, an endoscope is placed down the esophagus to determine the condition of the LES and damage to the esophagus from acid reflux. If Severe damage is detected a diagnosis of GERD will likely be made requiring further tests and immediate treatment.
Symptoms of acid reflux in children can be treated effectively using changes in care and lifestyle. Simple things that you can use mitigate the symptoms for an infant or small child include keeping the baby upright after feeding even if he or she falls asleep. Elevating the head of the crib and frequently checking to make sure the baby’s head is higher than it abdomen.
Initiating the feeding of solid food will also help. Keep a log of what and when you feed the baby to help you isolate food or drink that may increase the symptoms of acid reflux in your child. Make sure you discuss these options with your doctor prior to applying them.
Symptoms of acid reflux in older children may be addressed and treated by changing what and how they eat. Several smaller meals each day will lessen the pressure on the LES muscle and reduce gastric reflux.
Again elevating the head of your child’s bed will reduce the pressure on the LES muscle and assure a good night’s sleep which in itself reduces stress and increases the well being of the child. Raising the bed a mere 3 inches using a bricks or two 2X4 boards will be sufficient to accomplish the needed incline.
Do not let your child lay down for at least 30 minutes after eating. Also do not let your children sit in front of the TV or computer for hours at a time.
Exercise is an important factor in digestion and growth which will reduce the symptoms of acid reflux in your children. Most importantly limit high acid foods, carbonated beverages, high sugar drinks and spicy foods from your children’s diet.
In addition, there is an apparent link between childhood obesity and symptoms of heartburn in Children. Exercise and a healthy diet will go a long way in reducing symptoms of acid reflux in children.
If you suspect your child is suffering from the symptoms of acid reflux you should consult your paediatrician or doctor for a proper diagnosis. Many symptoms of acid reflux in children are masked or are similar to those from other conditions.
Most children naturally outgrow the acid reflux heartburn problems. However, acid reflux symptoms in children if left untreated may lead to a more serious condition. Prescribed medications can be used in cases of severe symptoms or when GERD is diagnosed. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to reducing and or curing the symptoms of acid reflux in children.