Heartburn Relief: Simple Remedies To Put Out The Fire
Posted January 27, 2022
- The terms heartburn and acid reflux are often used interchangeably, but heartburn is actually a symptom of acid reflux.
- Pay attention to the foods that trigger heartburn for you and eliminate them from your diet.
Heartburn occurs when stomach acid escapes into your esophagus. The muscular valve between your stomach and esophagus loosens or doesnt completely close, allowing stomach acid to escape into your esophagus.
You may be very familiar with the symptoms of heartburn, that burning sensation just below your breast bone that can rise into your chest. You may also have a bitter or sour taste in your mouth. The terms heartburn and acid reflux are often used interchangeably, but heartburn is actually a symptom of acid reflux.
If you experience occasional heartburn, keep reading for things you can do to identify the cause and ways to prevent the burn.
Calcium Citrate Powder To The Rescue
It is a good idea to take around 150 mg of calcium citrate powder after your meals. You can dissolve the powder in a small amount of water and have it after each meal, particularly at bedtime to prevent acid reflux during the night. The role of calcium is often not properly understood in the prevention of GERD. There are preparations like Tums and Rolaids which are made from calcium carbonate and serve as antacids. However, these products do not really have any substantial impact on the level of acidity of the stomach or on the esophagus. Calcium citrate, which is a mild acidic form of calcium, is known to work better than calcium carbonate. This is because of the reason that calcium citrate is more soluble than calcium carbonate. Thus, this form of calcium gets absorbed by the esophagus cells faster. However, keep in mind that calcium supplements are not the same thing as calcium citrate. Calcium citrate has to be taken in a solution form so that it can easily reach the lower esophagus, preventing heartburn and acid reflux without resorting to medications.
How To Get Rid Of Heartburn
June 27, 2018 By Sara
Here you finish your meal, and there you get that burning pain in your chest. This is the dreadful feeling of heartburn truly justifying its name. You feel as if your heart is burning along with that very painful feeling just behind your breastbone. And if you think you can get some relief by lying down or bending over, you are just making it worse.
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Top 15 Heartburn Remedies
Just because heartburn is common doesnt mean you have to suffer with it. Left untreated, frequent acid reflux can develop into more serious health problems. Here are the top 15 heartburn remedies…
Despite humorous commercials touting heartburn remedies with funny words like plop-plop and fizz-fizz, heartburn is no joke. More than 60 million Americans suffer from it at least occasionally, according to the American College of Gastroenterology.Heartburn, also known as acid indigestion, occurs when acidic stomach juices flow backward into the esophagus, irritating the esophageal lining. The resulting pain can be uncomfortable, annoying or excruciating. It can hurt as much as a heart attack, says Paige Hastings, a certified nurse practitioner at The Little Clinic in Nashville, Tenn.But not everyone has such pain you could also feel a bitter or acidic taste in the back of your throat or the awful sensation of food or liquid washing back into your mouth and down the gullet.In fact, frequent heartburn and food sticking in the throat are signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease .Untreated, these problems can lead more serious problems, including strictures , ulcers, cancer and pneumonia, explains Patricia Raymond, MD, a gastroenterologist based in Virginia Beach, Va.
What Should I Do If I Get Acidity Everyday
A sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits can cause acidity frequently.
If you experience severe heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms or conditions often, you must contact the doctor. In case you are having difficulty swallowing or taking pills for acidity everyday and no home remedies are working for you, its time to seek medical help.
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Maintaining A Moderate Weight
Eating a balanced diet is key for a persons general health, and it can also help them manage their body weight.
According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 2025, approximately Research suggests that there is a link between having obesity and an increased risk of developing acid reflux.
The reason for the link seems to be that excess fat around the abdominal area puts pressure on the stomach, making the body work harder to keep acid down.People with obesity may find that reaching and maintaining a moderate weight helps them reduce the frequency of acid reflux.
It is important that people focus on safe ways to lose weight, as losing too much weight too quickly may cause health problems.
What To Do If Heartburn Is Severe Or Frequent
For mild, occasional heartburn, over-the-counter medications such as antacids and histamine blockers can help relieve symptoms. Always read the product label before taking an antacid or histamine blocker and never take a larger dose or take doses more frequently than directed.
If you’re experiencing heartburn frequently, consult your doctor before taking heartburn medications regularly since these drugs can interfere with many other medications and affect underlying health conditions you may have.
If you have severe heartburn, as well as if it persists or worsens after taking steps to relieve it, consult your doctor. In some cases, heartburn can be a sign of an underlying condition, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease , or possibly a side effect of a medication you’re taking.
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What Medications Can I Take For Heartburn During Pregnancy
Its important to be extremely careful about the medications you take when pregnant.
For heartburn relief, over-the-counter antacids are all considered safe medications to use during pregnancy.
As always, consult with your provider about any medications youre taking even if theyre considered safe.
If you experience any unusual symptoms while taking an over-the-counter medication, call your doctor immediately.
Opt For Cooked Onions Instead Of Raw
Raw onions are a common trigger for acid reflux and heartburn.
One older study in people with acid reflux showed that eating a meal containing raw onion significantly increased heartburn, acid reflux, and burping, compared with consuming an identical meal that didnt contain onions .
More frequent burping might suggest that more gas is being produced. This could be due to the high amounts of fermentable fiber in onions .
Raw onions are also more difficult to digest and might irritate the lining of the esophagus, causing worsened heartburn .
Whatever the reason, if you think eating raw onion makes your symptoms worse, you should avoid it and opt for cooked onions instead.
Summary
Some people experience worsened heartburn and other reflux symptoms after eating raw onions.
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What Meds Should I Take If I Get Heartburn Frequently
Proton-pump inhibitors are in another class and are stronger. Prilosec or Nexium are available over the counter. Those are great drugs, but theyre much better for maintenance. If you take a Prilosec, it doesnt really do anything for you for 24 hours. Its not a medication to be taken as needed. Its more of a maintenance medication.
A Few Lifestyle Changes Are Worth Trying Before Resorting To Drugs For Controlling Gastroesophageal Reflux
If you are sounding a little hoarse and have a sore throat, you may be bracing for a cold or a bout of the flu. But if you’ve had these symptoms for a while, they might be caused not by a virus but by a valveyour lower esophageal sphincter. That’s the muscle that controls the passage between the esophagus and stomach, and when it doesn’t close completely, stomach acid and food flow back into the esophagus. The medical term for this process is gastroesophageal reflux the backward flow of acid is called acid reflux.
Acid reflux can cause sore throats and hoarseness and may literally leave a bad taste in your mouth. When acid reflux produces chronic symptoms, it is known as gastroesophageal reflux disorder, or GERD. The most common symptom of GERD is heartburnpain in the upper abdomen and chest.
Three conditionspoor clearance of food or acid from the esophagus, too much acid in the stomach, and delayed stomach emptyingcontribute to acid reflux, says Dr. Jacqueline Wolf, a gastroenterologist and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and author of A Woman’s Guide to a Healthy Stomach: Taking Control of Your Digestive Health.
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Home Remedies And Tips
Heartburn symptoms are common but can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. Click here to find home remedies to help find symptom relief.
Although diet changes and home remedies can go a long way in heartburn prevention, its not always enough. Try PEPCID® the #1 doctor recommended acid reducer brand. PEPCID® products start working in minutes and can ease symptoms day or night.
Home Remedies For Heartburn
Tags: Digestive Health & Disorders ,
That unpleasant feeling of your last meal coming back into your throat. That uncomfortable, even painful, burning sensation in your chest. Heartburn has returned.
Heartburn, the feeling you get when the contents of your stomach back up into the esophagus toward the mouth, is common to experience from time to time. Heartburn is caused by acidic stomach content moving into the esophagus, or gullet. This results in irritation and damage to the lining of the esophagus.
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Eat Smaller Meals Slower
Be mindful of how much and how fast youre eating at mealtime. Too much food in your stomach can put pressure on the valve that keeps stomach acid from coming up your esophagus, thus making heartburn more likely, says , the chief medical officer and co-founder of Redirect Health. Also, eating too fast can trigger heartburn, so Dr. Johnston says chewing slowly or taking smaller bites can help slow down the process.
Avoid Foods That Cause Heartburn
While heartburn triggers vary from person to person, there are several foods and drinks that are known causes of heartburn, including:
- spicy foods: hot chili peppers
- acidic foods: citrus fruits, tomatoes, chocolate
- acidic drinks, such as caffeine, alcohol, coffee, wine and carbonated beverages.
Pay attention to the foods and beverages that trigger heartburn for you and eliminate them from your diet.
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A Surgeon Answers Your Most Pressing Questions About Finding Quick Heartburn Relief
Maybe you washed down that order of hot chicken with a new sour beer, or the citrusy dressing on your salad is giving you more than you bargained for. Heartburn can creep up at the worst of times. It may all of a sudden pop up when youre enjoying an evening out with friends or after an office lunch just as youre about to give a presentation. Thats when you need quick heartburn relief.
Heartburn occurs when stomach acid rises into the esophagus. Typically, when we swallow, a sphincter around the bottom of the esophagus temporarily relaxes to let food pass into the stomach. Then it tightens again to keep the contents from coming back up. Some foods and beverages may cause the sphincter to relax too much. In some individuals the muscle is weakened, allowing acid to rise and cause the burn.
So what can you do to ease the pain? We asked Chetan Aher, M.D., a general surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, to answer questions on how to put out the flames on heartburn and when to see your doctor for better symptom control.
In Addition To The Above Certain Lifestyle Changes Can Also Help To Prevent Acidity They Are:
- Stay active and engage in any kind exercise, be it swimming, cycling, dancing or any of your favourite sport.
- Eat smaller meals, 4 to 5 times a day.
- Have your dinner early, at least 2 hours before you hit the bed.
- Dont overeat and chew your food well while eating.
- Dont lie down immediately after a meal.
- Lose weight if you are overweight or obese.
- Raise the head end of your bed while lying down.
- Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
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Maintain A Healthy Weight
As we briefly mentioned, being overweight can cause added pressure to build up near the stomach and abdomen. This pressure can ultimately manifest as heartburn and may pose other more serious issues later on down the road. For some, losing weight is an effective and natural remedy for heartburn.
Note: Make sure to discuss weight loss with your physician in order to find the best plan for your health.
Eat Smaller Meals Slower And More Often
If youre eating three square meals a day and have heartburn, you might want to mix things up. Too much food at too few sittings may be contributing to your discomfort. Instead, eat five or six smaller meals throughout the day, chewing slowly and thoroughly to maximize digestion. When the stomach is too full or the food is too fatty, the esophageal valve opens and food and acid move from the stomach back up toward your throat, leading to heartburn, says Scott Gabbard, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Meals that are more than 500 calories cause more reflux than lower-calorie meals, says Dr. Gabbard, and foods that contain more than 10 to 15 grams of fat tend to increase the amount of heartburn.
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Should I Try Home Remedies
Anybody who has seen the fifth-grade science project where you mix baking soda and vinegar knows that if you mix some of these home remedies together youre going to end up with a result you dont want. When people are in pain and looking for quick heartburn relief, they get desperate. It is really important to avoid those kinds of things, which is why I recommend sticking with Tums or something that neutralizes acid.
A Maintain A Healthy Body Weight
Do you know your body mass index ? If not, start now by entering your weight and height into a BMI calculator to use the NIH calculator and find your current BMI.
A healthy BMI is between 19 and 25, but anyone with a compromised LES should not be at the high end of normal. We recommend a BMI of 24 or less. Why is this important? We wrote a cornerstone article titled How is your excess weight destroying your LES , which we highly recommend you read if you have a BMI greater than 24.
This excess weight does two things that will increase your GERD symptoms. First, it distends the stomach, pulling down on the LES and stretching it out. Over a long-term, this will reduce the effectiveness of the LES to act as an effective barrier between the stomach and the oesophagus.
Second, it puts added pressure on the diaphragm, potentially pushing stomach content into the esophagus. Many research studies have proven that a reduction in BMI will reduce GERD symptoms. In an NIH published paper researchers concluded the following:
In summary, our findings suggest that, beyond being overweight or obese, the risk of GERD symptoms rises progressively with increasing BMI, even among normal weight individuals. This appears true for all degrees of symptom severity and duration, as well as for nocturnal symptoms. Notably, weight loss was associated with a decreased risk of symptoms.
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Add Aloe Vera To Your Routine
Dr. Mehdizadeh says taking aloe vera extract three times a day may act as an anti-inflammatory and acid suppressor. In addition, results from a small study found that aloe vera is safe, well tolerated, and effective at reducing the frequency of heartburn. You can find aloe juice at most grocery stores. Try using one tablespoon of aloe vera mixed with water or juice.
What Is The Quickest Way To Get Rid Of Heartburn Treatment
Taking antacids is considered the quickest way to get rid of heartburn. These over-the-counter medications help neutralize stomach acid. They are one of the first recommended treatments and may provide quick relief. However, antacid overuse can cause problems such as diarrhea or chronic kidney disease, especially if they contain aluminum and magnesium.
Other common ways to get rid of heartburn include:
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Dont Drink Too Much Citrus Juice
Many types of citrus juice, including orange juice and grapefruit juice, are considered common triggers for heartburn .
These ingredients are highly acidic and contain compounds like ascorbic acid, which could cause indigestion if you consume them in large amounts .
In addition to being acidic, certain compounds found in citrus juice could irritate the lining of the esophagus .
While citrus juice probably doesnt cause acid reflux directly, it could make your heartburn worse temporarily.
Summary
Some people with acid reflux report that drinking citrus juice makes their symptoms worse. Certain compounds in citrus juice, in addition to acids, can also irritate the lining of the esophagus.
Ways To Quell The Fire Of Heartburn
Heartburn is a common problem. It’s caused by the backwash of stomach acid into the esophagus, the tube connecting the mouth and stomach. This is formally called gastroesophageal reflux disease . More than just a minor discomfort, heartburn can significantly reduce quality of life. “Heartburn can cause damage to the esophagus and even increase the risk of cancer if ignored and untreated,” says Dr. William Kormos, editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch and a primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital.
These eight steps can help ease heartburn.
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