Looking for Heartburn Treatment? - Discover The Various Ways on How to Get Rid Of Heartburn

Acid reflux relief is possible using Heartburn Treatment if one have the right knowledge of how to get rid of heartburn. Stopping heartburn may not be possible for some people by using one single treatment option as you will soon discover from this article. There are several methods for treating heartburn, these include natural home remedies, heartburn medicine using antacids, over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs, and surgery. The problem is that many people don't know exactly what will work for them and when to seek treatment early hence, it developed until it can't be reverse except with the last resort which is surgery.


It is also good to know first why people suffer from heartburn. Experience and research have taught me that It's not necessarily because of excess hydrochloric acid secreted in the stomach. Infact, stomach acid is good for you! It's due to the malfunctioning of the LES muscle between the stomach and the esophagus that's supposed to prevent the flow of stomach acidic content back into the esophagus. That's why some people with excess acid in their stomach may not suffer heartburn. Why? Because their LES is functioning well. It's therefore a first priority that you know what causes your heartburn and LES to malfunction for proper treatment. Below are the available treatment options for heartburn.

1. Natural Heartburn Treatment

 

The first step to get rid of heartburn after identifying your heartburn triggers is using natural home remedies. Various home remedies include changing your diet to avoid heartburn food triggers, taking natural products like apple cidar vinegar, baking soda, honey, ginger; and changing certain lifestyle such as stop smoking and losing few pounds of fat if over weight.

2. Use of Medicine for Heartburn Treatment

 

At what point do you need to decide using medicine to treat your heartburn? The key is seeing your doctor if you are having GERD symptoms frequently or more that two times in a week. Seeing your doctor will eliminate other possible causes of heartburn such as hietal hernia, stomach ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome and others thus, putting your mind at ease. It will also help you to discuss and understand each medication type, their side effects, and duration of use before taking any. If however, you result to self medication, you are going to take over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn medicine from your local pharmacist, instead of prescription medicine which are usually in high doses. Consequently, you should read and know about the drug first from the enclose drug leaflet. The various medicines available for heartburn treatment are antacids, H2 blockers and PPIs.

• Antacids

The antacids neutralize stomach acid in other to produce heartburn relief caused by indigestion or GERD. Some, such as Pepto-Bismol coat the esophagus acting as a barrier between the lining of the esophagus and stomach acid. The antacids are known to provide instant heartburn relief from occasional and mild symptoms. Their effect is usually short lived about 30 minutes to 2 hours. They may be liquid (in the form of suspension) or solid which are chewable. The liquid ones are known to work faster than tablets form. Examples of antacids include Gaviscon, Alka-Seltzer, Polygel, Gelusil, Milk of Magnesia, Maalox, and Pepto-Bismo.

• Histamine receptor antagonist (HRA) or H2 blocker

The H2 blocker exist as OTC and prescription medicines. They block the effect of histamine, a chemical in the body that stimulates the production of acid in the stomach after meal. Hence H2 blockers are best taken 30 minutes before food. They may also be taken when going to bed to prevent night heartburn. Examples of H2 blockers include Axid, Zantac, Tagamet and pepcid.

• Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)

The PPIs also exist as OTC and prescription medicines in high doses. PPIs neutralize the action of the active enzymes in some parietal cells in the stomach responsible for acid production. They are the most effective medication use for heartburn treatment that is available. In terms of reduction of stomach acid secretion, their effect last longer - over 24 hours. Example of OTC PPIs include Zegerid®), Prevacid® and Prilosec®; while those prescribe in higher doses include Nexium, Protonix, and Aciphex.

3. Surgery

 

The last resort for heartburn treatment is surgery however, it depends on your condition and health status. Your doctor will evaluate you to decide if this is safe for you. Trying to figure out which heartburn treatment option is safe for you? It depends on your condition and body. Know that what work for me may not work for you. Additionally each of the medications discussed above may produce side effects depending on the individual. Also, either H2 blocker or PPI is usually combine with an antacid for effectiveness in acid reflux treatment.

As mentioned earlier, the medications may not be an effective treatment if not combine with some form of natural remedies such as  changing your diet to avoid heartburn food triggers, taking natural products like apple cidar vinegar, baking soda, honey, ginger; and changing certain lifestyle such as stop smoking and losing few pounds of fat if over weight.

Read more about heartburn treatment and home remedies for heartburn.