Acid Reflux Treatment:
There are a number of acid reflux treatments and solutions that can potentially help people suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Most of the time, these treatments consist of a combination of medication and simple lifestyle measures that assist people in looking after their own health and bodies.
Acid Reflux Treatment: Self Care:
If you have been suffering from symptoms of acid reflux for some time, then you may find that a number of different self-care techniques can prove useful in managing your problem. For example, if you are classed as obese or overweight, most experts suggest that you could lessen the problem significantly by engaging in some healthy eating and exercise practices that could assist in helping you to lose weight. The more weight you lose, the less pressure will be on your stomach, leading to fewer symptoms. Similarly, if you are currently an avid smoker, then giving up the habit can be a great way of treating your acid reflux, as the smoke in cigarettes tend to irritate your digestive system, leading to worsened symptoms.
Dieting & Nutrition:
Another way that you can adjust your lifestyle as part of your acid reflux treatments, is to adjust the way that you eat. Instead of eating three large meals every day, cut your food intake down into frequent, smaller meals. Make sure that your evening meals are completed at least three or four hours before your usual bedtime, however. When you go to bed, try raising the head of the mattress by approximately eight inches, either by placing books, or wooden blocks beneath it. This can actually reduce the symptoms that you experience substantially. But make sure that your bed is safe and sturdy before you lie down on it.
Acid Reflux Treatments And Medications:
There are a number of different medications that can be used to treat acid reflux, including over-the-counter medications, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and H2-receptor antagonists.
Various over-the-counter drugs can be effective in relieving mild or moderate symptoms of acid reflux. For example, antacids can neutralize the effects of natural stomach acid, however it is important not to take them alongside other medications, as they can stop the proper absorption of certain medicines into your body.
If acid reflux does not respond to self-care methods of treatment, then your physician may decide to prescribe you with a single months’ worth of proton pump inhibitors, which work by reducing how much acid your stomach can produce. Most patients tolerate this treatment quite well, and side effects are relatively uncommon. However, to minimize the chances of suffering from side effects, your GP is likely to prescribe the lowest possible dose that can help alleviate your symptoms.
If proton pump inhibitors don’t help with your acid reflux symptoms, another type of medication known as H2RA, or H2-receptor antagonists could be useful. These are often taken alongside PPIs on a short-term basis, for no longer than two weeks, or as an alternative medication. They work by blocking the histamine in your body, which produces stomach acid, reducing the amount that is allowed to build up within your stomach.
