Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Heartburn is a burning, painful sensation caused by stomach acid that flows through the lower esophageal sphincter (the muscle that closes and separates the esophagus from the stomach) into the esophagus. Esophageal tissue is not constructed to process the pH of stomach acid, which causes discomfort. Many people with heartburn often develop a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Fortunately, you can take immediate steps to reduce heartburn, as well as long-term steps to reduce the frequency of heartburn symptoms.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Cure Heartburn at Home

1. 

   Loosen clothes after a meal. Although it may sound silly, loosening your clothes after a meal helps in this case. The increased pressure on the abdomen and lower esophageal sphincter pushes up stomach acids and causes heartburn. Wearing loose clothing, especially after eating a lot, will help reduce heartburn.

2. 

   
   
   Do not lie down immediately after a meal. Sometimes, symptoms of heartburn are caused by gravity. Lying right after a meal - when stomach acid is most active - can cause stomach acid to drift easily toward the esophagus and over the esophageal sphincter. Therefore, you should avoid lying down for 30-60 minutes after a meal.
   • Also, avoid eating late at night as you must wait at least 3 hours after a meal before going to bed.

3. 

   
   
   Drink baking soda and water solutions. If you don't like taking medicine, you can reduce your heartburn with baking soda (bicarbonate salt). Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of water to drink after a meal or for signs of heartburn. Do not take more than 5 teaspoons per day unless directed by your doctor.

4. 

   Take over-the-counter heartburn medicine. You can choose from a range of over-the-counter medications for heartburn. The three most common classes of drugs are antacids, H2 blockers, and protin pump inhibitors.
   • Antacids (such as Tums) help relieve heartburn quickly and shortly by neutralizing stomach acid.
   • H2 blockers like Ranitidine (Zantac) and Famotidine (Pepcid) slow down the secretion of stomach acids. These medications take up to 1 hour to work, but will work for a longer time.
   • Proton pump inhibitors such as Omeprazole (Prilosec) and Lansoprazole (Prevacid 24HR) further slow stomach acid production. These medications are often used when heartburn cannot be controlled with antacids or H2 blockers, and the heartburn recurs more than 2 days a week.

5. 

   
   
   Raise your mattress. There are cases of heartburn even after going to bed hours after dinner. If heartburn is interfering with your sleep, try making a slightly upright corner at the head of your bed. Sleeping in a slightly sloping position instead of parallel to the floor will help reduce heartburn symptoms.
   • The head of the bed can be raised by lifting the entire bed frame at one end or placing a wedge-shaped object between the mattress platform and the mattress.
   • Many patients report that this method is more effective than simply placing an extra pillow under the head. If you use just a lot of pillows, you can strain your neck or accidentally turn your head away from your knees, leading to a loss of heartburn relief.

6. 

   Walk. Heavy exercise after a meal can increase your risk of heartburn, but light physical activity will help reduce symptoms. You can try walking or cycling during heartburn symptoms to see if this helps with heartburn.
   • Stress and anxiety can make symptoms of heartburn worse. Daily physical activity is the best way to relieve stress, making heartburn more effective.

7. 

   Eat a moderate portion. Choosing large portions instead of eating them in moderation increases your risk of heartburn. Too much food in the stomach gives the stomach acid a chance to flow through the esophagus. So, choose small portions to see if this helps reduce heartburn.

8. 

   Avoid foods that cause heartburn. Although heartburn is largely related to the sphincter of the esophagus, some foods you eat can also sometimes cause heartburn. One of the easiest ways to stop heartburn is by cutting out on foods that cause heartburn, the most common being:
   • Hot spicy food
   • Onion
   • Tomato (or tomato products such as ketchup and Pizza sauce)
   • Acidic foods like citrus fruits
   • Chocolate
   • Alcohol-based beverages
   • Mint
   • Fried foods and foods are too greasy

9. 

   Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight puts extra pressure on your stomach and pushes stomach acid into your esophagus. Losing a few kilograms will also help relieve that pressure. Diet and exercise changes are the two best ways to lose weight.
   • Eating a healthy diet means cutting back on fried foods and foods that are too fatty (foods that make heartburn symptoms worse).
   • Healthy exercise routines include 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio (including slow jogging, cycling, swimming, ...) 5 times per week.
   • Note that pregnancy is a common cause of GERD in women. Pregnant women should consult a doctor before losing weight to treat heartburn.
   • People weighing over 45 kg can receive weight loss surgery (Bariatric Surgery) to improve symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

10. 

    Quit smoking. Tobacco smoke will damage and impair the ability of the lower esophageal sphincter to function normally. This causes stomach acid (the heartburn cause) to flow into the esophagus more easily. Therefore, it is advisable to quit smoking to reduce your risk of smoking-related illness, especially after meals, to reduce your risk of heartburn. advertisement

Method 2 of 2: Consult a Doctor

1. 

   Go to the doctor. See your doctor if heartburn regularly lasts longer than 2 weeks and symptoms persist even with over-the-counter medications.

2. 

   Get a diagnostic test. Since recurrent heartburn is often a manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease, you may be ordered by your doctor to receive diagnostic tests to determine the best treatment. These tests will also check for an erosive risk of the esophagus (a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease), where stomach acids actually damage the esophagus. Tests for erosion of the esophagus include:
   • X-rays are taken to look at the shape and condition of both the stomach and esophagus
   • Endoscopy to check for esophageal abnormalities due to long-term erosion of gastric acid, especially in patients over 50 years of age or who have gastroesophageal reflux lasting longer than 5 years.
   • An emergency acid probe test, which is a test that assesses when acid backs up into your esophagus and how long it takes to reflux
   • Your doctor may also perform a biopsy of some cells in your lower esophagus to test for Barret's esophagus, which is a precancerous condition caused by persistent gastroesophageal reflux symptoms. However, this disease accounts for only a small proportion of people with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

3. 

   Requires a prescription for a strong prescription. Both H2 blockers and protein pump inhibitors will be prescribed by your doctor. If none of these medications help control your symptoms, your doctor will usually prescribe another prescription medication to help manage the disease.

4. 

   Discuss surgical methods. In the event that gastroesophageal reflux disease cannot be controlled with medication and it leads to erosion of the esophagus, your doctor may discuss surgical options with you. Surgical methods include:
   • Fundoplication surgery, where the surgeon coils a small piece of stomach around the lower esophageal sphincter to help strengthen the muscles, preventing stomach acid from flowing through the lower esophageal sphincter.
   • A device (such as a Linx) is implanted into the lower esophageal sphincter to increase muscle strength.
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Advice

• Baking soda is different from baking powder, baking powder is not effective in treating heartburn.
• Green tea can also help with heartburn.

Warning

• See a doctor if you experience heartburn frequently.