What Treatments Are Available For Heartburn & Acid Reflux
Most treatments revolve around lifestyle changes as your symptoms are likely to lessen if you take measures to reduce the amount of reflux that you have. For example, stopping smoking and drinking less alcohol can all make a big difference to the discomfort you experience. Some foods are more likely than others to trigger reflux symptoms so you may find it helpful to look at how you eat as well as what you eat. Avoid late night, high fat meals so you dont go to bed with a full stomach. Propping up your head when you sleep may also alleviate symptoms. Eat little but more often if necessary. Try to avoid bending forward or wearing tight clothes as this can put extra pressure on your tummy.
There are also a variety of medicines you can buy at your local pharmacy to help lessen your reflux symptoms.
Antacids: alkaline liquids or tablets that reduce the amount of stomach acid. They work immediately and last for four hours. They are best taken after meals and before going to bed.
Acid-supressing medications: capsules or tablets which reduce the amount of acid produced by the cells in your stomach.
These are split into 2 groups:
- Histamine H2-receptor antagonists . These include Ranitidine, Cimetidine, Famotidine and Nizatidine. These can be taken prior to bedtime.
- Proton pump inhibitors . These include Omeprazole, Pantoprazoleand Esomeprazole. These are best taken 30 minutes prior to breakfast or evening meal.
Do Heartburn Acid Reflux Medications Help Treat Covid
Although some studies show that heartburn medications, such as proton pump inhibitors , may increase your chances of getting COVID-19, other studies have found that taking some heartburn medications may actually have benefits when treating coronavirus . Such heartburn medications include histamine-2 receptor antagonists such as famotidine .
A retrospective study done from The Gastroenterology Journal found that the use of famotidine was correlated with a reduced risk of patients being intubated or dying from COVID-19 compared to those who did not receive famotidine. Although this study showed some promising data, only randomized clinical trials can determine if famotidine is fully effective against COVID-19. Therefore, it is not recommended to take famotidine for prevention of COVID-19.
For more information about coronavirus, please visit the CDC website. As always, if you are not feeling well, please reach out to your medical provider or call 911 in an emergency.
To learn more about tips for treating heartburn, checkout Curist’s other heartburn articles:
Losing Your Mucus Plug
The mucus plug is a pivotal part of pregnancy. Like its name suggests, itâs a large âplugâ within the cervical canal that is shed shortly before or during labor. That said, thereâs no guarantee that losing your mucus plug means that labor is coming. âA woman can lose her mucus plug weeks to months before the onset of labor,â explains Dr. Nwegbo-Banks. âIt does not indicate labor if mom is comfortable and without regular uterine contractions.â
Still, when your mucus plug dislodges, itâs definitely a sign that labor likely isnât too terribly far off. âEven though some people may lose their plug weeks before the baby is born, I like to think of it as a sign your body is moving in the right direction,â Jada Shapiro, a birth doula, maternal health expert, and founder of Boober tells Romper. âIf you are also experiencing sensations in your cervix which come and go even if they are quite far apart and you release your plug, it’s a good sign that you are experiencing early labor.â
Read Also: Can Align Probiotic Cause Nausea
Did You Know Heartburn Is Not The Only Symptom Of Gerd
Chronic heartburn is the most common symptom of GERD. Acid regurgitation is another common symptom. But numerous less common symptoms other than heartburn may be associated with GERD. These may include:
- Belching
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing
- Waterbrash
- Dysphagia
- Chronic sore throat
- Erosion of the enamel of the teeth
- Chronic irritation in the throat
- Hoarseness in the morning
- A sour taste
- Bad breath
Chest pain may indicate acid reflux. Nevertheless, this kind of pain or discomfort should prompt urgent medical evaluation. Possible heart conditions must always be excluded first.
Relief of symptoms after a two-week trial therapy with a proton pump inhibitor is an indication that GERD is the cause. This can also be confirmed with pH monitoring, which measures the level of acid refluxing into the esophagus and as high as the larynx.
Heartburn Causes And Risk Factors
Heartburn symptoms can start up because of a problem with a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter . It’s located where the esophagus meets the stomach — below the rib cage and slightly left of center.
Normally, with the help of gravity, the LES keeps stomach acid right where it should be — in your stomach. When it’s working right, the LES opens to allow food into your stomach or to let you belch, then closes again. But if the LES opens too often or doesn’t close tightly enough, stomach acid can seep into the esophagus and cause a burning sensation.
If your LES doesn’t tighten as it should, there are often two things that contribute to the problem. One is overeating, which puts too much food in your stomach. Another is too much pressure on your stomach, often due to obesity, pregnancy, or constipation.
Certain foods can relax your LES or increase stomach acid, including:
- Alcohol
- Peppermint
Meals high in fats and oils often lead to heartburn, as do certain medications. Stress and lack of sleep can raise how much acid your stomach makes and can cause heartburn.
If you’re pregnant, the hormone progesterone can relax your LES and lead to heartburn. Smoking also relaxes the LES and increases stomach acid.
Read Also: Does Pickle Juice Help Heartburn
Throwing Up Liquid In Your Mouth
When the volume of gastric content refluxing into the esophagus is high enough, a sensation of liquid coming up the chest can be felt, says Dr. Gyawali. Doctors call this acid regurgitation.” Basically, youll feel like you just threw up a little in your mouth. The liquid may be warm and have a sour, salty, or acidic taste. Some people also feel like they have something stuck in their throat or chest.
RELATED: 12 Ways to Soothe Heartburn in Pregnancy
Are There Any Tests For Heartburn
If it is obvious from the symptoms that a person has heartburn, no tests or exams may be necessary. Advice in regard to lifestyle modifications, diet, or medications may begin immediately.
If your health care professional is not sure about the diagnosis, or if he or she is concerned about damage done by chronic heartburn, tests may be ordered. This is true especially if the patient has already been prescribed medications that are not relieving the heartburn.
There is no simple blood test for heartburn. The tests used to diagnose heartburn include the following:
You May Like: Probiotic Align
What Is The Difference Between Heartburn And Acid Reflux
Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux. Heartburn describes a feeling of burning, pain, or discomfort in the chest that can be quite uncomfortable. You also may a sour or bitter taste in the throat and mouth, and it usually occurs after you eat a big meal or when you lay down.
Not everyone with GERD will experience heartburn. Other symptoms of acid reflux include regurgitation of acid into the throat or mouth, a bitter taste in the mouth, upset stomach, belching, nausea after eating, feeling full, stomach and upper abdomen bloating, dry cough, wheezing, hoarseness, feeling of tightness in the throat, and in some people, vomiting.
Signs Your Heartburn Could Be A More Serious Issue
Every day, millions of people experience an unpleasant heartburn sensation after eating a meal. For many, this experience happens once in a blue moon, or only after they eat a specific combination of foods. For others, their heartburn could be a sign of a more serious medical problem lying just beneath the surface. But how can you know whether your heartburn is just something to keep an eye on, or suggestive that you seek out medical intervention? Below, we talk about seven signs that suggest your heartburn could be a symptom of a larger medical problem.
If youre experiencing any of these symptoms alongside your heartburn, schedule an appointment with Dr. Bhattis office today.
Read Also: Accuflora Probiotic For Yeast Infection
Cervical Changes: Effacement & Dilation
Although this isnât something that you can easily see, a sign of labor approaching is that your cervix undergoes its own transformation in preparation for birth. âTrue labor must be accompanied by cervical change such as thinning, softening, or dilation,â Dr. Langdon explains. And itâs during these changes that youâll often experience the other symptoms, such as your contractions, belly tightening, your water breaking, and the appearance of the bloody show.
Can Heartburn Be Prevented Or Avoided
You might be able to avoid heartburn by making some lifestyle changes.
- Place 6- to 9-inch blocks under the legs at the head of your bed to raise it.
- Try to eat at least 2 to 3 hours before lying down. If you take naps, try sleeping in a chair.
- Quit smoking if you smoke.
- Lose weight if youre overweight.
- Dont overeat.
- Avoid tight clothes and tight belts.
- Avoid foods and beverages that give you heartburn.
Don’t Miss: Can Bananas Cause Bloating
What Is The Treatment For Heartburn
The health care professional will recommend treating heartburn in a stepwise fashion. For mild or occasional symptoms, simple lifestyle modifications may be enough. The next step is nonprescription antacids such as Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, or Rolaids. Other treatments include acid blockers and even surgery. In most cases, one or more of these treatments provide relief from heartburn and prevent it from turning into a more serious disease.
I take nonprescription antacids for heartburn, but they don’t seem to help.
Nonprescription antacids are only part of the treatment for heartburn. They can work very well, but these antacids alone usually can’t stop heartburn. A health care professional will probably recommend that the patient make lifestyle changes in addition to other treatments.
What kind of lifestyle changes and remedies can I make to reduce heartburn?
Try any or all of the following:
Will these changes stop the heartburn?
They may. If they don’t, adding a nonprescription antacid can be helpful.
How do antacids work?
What if lifestyle changes and antacids don’t work?
If a person still has symptoms after lifestyle modifications and antacids, a health care professional probably will prescribe a stronger drug. The usual choice is one of the histamine-2 blockers, or acid blockers. These drugs block the biochemical process that creates acid in the stomach.
What are acid blockers?
Complications Of Gerd And Acid Reflux
Ulcers Stomach acid in the esophagus can cause ulcers. These ulcers have the potential to bleed. To check for bleeding ulcers, your doctor may recommend a stool sample test called hemocult.
Stricture Damage caused by acid reflux can cause the esophagus to scar and narrow. This is called stricture. Over time, stricture could cause a blockage of food and require treatment. The scar tissue is a result of ulcers that occur and heal over time.
Lung and throat problems Acid reflux in the throat could lead to irritation or inflammation of the vocal cords or a sore throat. If the acid is inhaled into the lungs, it could cause aspiration pneumonia or symptoms of asthma. If the acid reflux is chronic, it could eventually cause permanent lung damage including pulmonary fibrosis or bronchiectasis.
Barrettâs esophagus Barrettâs esophagus occurs when the cells in the lower esophagus transform. The transformation is usually caused by damage to the esophageal lining, most often from chronic acid reflux or GERD. There is a small chance these cells may develop into cancer. Patients with Barretts esophagus should have an upper endoscopy done periodically to look for early signs of cancer.
Esophageal cancer Barrettâs esophagus is a major risk factor for developing esophageal cancer. The rate of esophageal cancer is on the rise, but relatively few people with GERD develop Barrettâs esophagus and even fewer people with Barrettâs esophagus develop esophageal cancer.
Also Check: Prenatal Vitamins Causing Diarrhea
Why Does It Happen In Pregnancy
Many women who have heartburn during pregnancy have never had problems before. Unfortunately, if you had heartburn before becoming pregnant, youre more likely to have symptoms while you are pregnant. Although the exact reasons arent clear, most experts believe that pregnancy hormones, particularly progesterone, play a role. Hormones cause relaxation of the esophageal sphincter. This is a tight circular band of muscle at the top of the stomach. This allows partially digested food and stomach acids to backflow, or reflux, into the esophagus. In addition, progesterone also slows the digestive process. This keeps food in the stomach longer. The pregnancy itselfthe upward pressure of the growing uterusalso may play a role.
Heartburn Or Heart Attack
A heart attack is when the arteries connected to the heart become blocked. Heartburn, on the other hand, occurs when stomach acid travels back up the esophagus.
Some symptoms of heartburn and a heart attack could be similar, such as chest pain. As a result, some people who are having a heart attack do not take action as they think they have heartburn.
If a person experiences heartburn pain alongside shortness of breath or sweating, this could be a heart-related issue.
Other symptoms of a heart attack can include:
- discomfort in the chest, such as squeezing, fullness, pressure, or pain
- lightheadedness
- pain or discomfort in one or both arms, stomach, neck, jaw, or back
If a person has some or all of these symptoms, they should seek emergency medical attention. In the words of the American Heart Association , If in doubt, check it out.
Knowing how to distinguish a heart attack from heartburn can save lives.
Don’t Miss: Constipation Dizziness
Will Heartburn Go Away On Its Own
For many people, occasional heartburn is common. By watching what you eat and avoiding certain triggers , you may be able to prevent heartburn or manage it. If you find that you frequently experience heartburn and that it keeps getting worse, it could be a sign of a medical condition like GERD. In these cases, your heartburn will not go away without treatment. Talk to your healthcare provider so that you can develop a treatment plan.
How To Avoid Reflux
There are some things you can do to keep the heartburn away.
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff.
You May Like: Why Does Lettuce Give Me Diarrhea
When To See A Healthcare Provider
For any new symptoms of heartburn that occur more than twice a week and aren’t relieved by over-the-counter antacids, you should see your healthcare provider. It’s never too late to make that appointment if you have chronic heartburn, either.
Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if:
- Heartburn occurs more than twice a week
- Symptoms persist despite use of over-the-counter medications
- You have difficulty swallowing
- You have persistent nausea or vomiting
- You have weight loss because of a poor appetite or difficulty eating
Your healthcare provider will assess your digestive health and your heart health. The two of you can discuss a treatment plan that works for you.
Heartburn Healthcare Provider Discussion Guide
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
You should see your healthcare provider immediately for the symptom of vomiting, especially if you have vomited a large amount, you frequently have forceful vomiting, or the vomited fluid is bloody, is green or yellow, or looks like it contains coffee grounds. Having problems breathing after vomiting is also an indication that you should see your healthcare provider immediately.
How To Tell If Its Heartburn Or Chest Pain From Coronavirus
Heartburn is nevertheless a very common symptom reported in a substantial portion of the general adult US population. It may be very easy to confuse heartburn with chest pain or pressure in the chest, which COVID-19 patients often experience. So here is a way to differentiate heartburn from chest pressure / pain from other causes:
- Heartburn feels like a burning pain in the chest that usually occurs after eating and may occur at night, the discomfort often worsens when lying down or bending over, and there may be a bitter or acidic taste in your mouth. Taking liquid antacids may quickly relieve this discomfort.
- Chest pain and pressure related to COVID-19 may feel like it is overall harder to breathe, does not worsen after you eat or while laying down, and does not respond to liquid antacids
You May Like: What Can You Take For Diarrhea While Pregnant