Finding the Most Effective Medications for Acid Reflux
You've eaten a huge holiday meal, and you're ready to lay back in your recliner and complacently enjoy a football game and a nap.
You're just settling in when you feel a stab of pain in your chest that takes your breath away.
Immediately you think that you're having a heart attack, but Uncle Ernie tells you that most likely you're having acid reflux, because you just finished eating more than you should have.
So what do you do now? You can try mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda into 2" of water which is a home remedy that will often do the trick.
However, if you start having more of these attacks, you'll probably want to find some type of commercial medication to take care of them.
Antacids work almost instantly, are inexpensive to buy, and taste better than baking soda does.
You can buy a whole bottle of them for just a few dollars, and they come in various fruit flavors.
Buying a store brand will be less expensive, and you'll find they work just as well.
Don't be tempted to take more than you need just because they taste good, because too many can cause diarrhea, constipation, or an imbalance of electrolytes in your body.
If you only have an occasional flare-up of acid reflux, antacids will probably be all the medicine you'll need.
However, if you begin having more severe and chronic bouts, then you need to look for a more permanent solution to your problem.
Acid reflux attacks most easily when you are lying down.
If your stomach is too full of food or stomach acid, the excess can be forced back up your esophagus where it irritates the esophageal lining and causes pain.
At that point, you either need to address the pain or reduce the amount of stomach acid.
Some of the choices include: * Liquid suspension medications, such as Peptol Bismal.
These work by coating the esophagus and soothing the pain.
However, they wear off very quickly.
* H-2 receptor blockers, which include over-the-counter drugs Zantac and Pepcid AC, shut off acid production.
They work slower than antacids but last longer.
* Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) control acid production and heal the esophagus.
These are medications such as Nexium and Prevacid and are taken under the guidance of a physician.
You're just settling in when you feel a stab of pain in your chest that takes your breath away.
Immediately you think that you're having a heart attack, but Uncle Ernie tells you that most likely you're having acid reflux, because you just finished eating more than you should have.
So what do you do now? You can try mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda into 2" of water which is a home remedy that will often do the trick.
However, if you start having more of these attacks, you'll probably want to find some type of commercial medication to take care of them.
Antacids work almost instantly, are inexpensive to buy, and taste better than baking soda does.
You can buy a whole bottle of them for just a few dollars, and they come in various fruit flavors.
Buying a store brand will be less expensive, and you'll find they work just as well.
Don't be tempted to take more than you need just because they taste good, because too many can cause diarrhea, constipation, or an imbalance of electrolytes in your body.
If you only have an occasional flare-up of acid reflux, antacids will probably be all the medicine you'll need.
However, if you begin having more severe and chronic bouts, then you need to look for a more permanent solution to your problem.
Acid reflux attacks most easily when you are lying down.
If your stomach is too full of food or stomach acid, the excess can be forced back up your esophagus where it irritates the esophageal lining and causes pain.
At that point, you either need to address the pain or reduce the amount of stomach acid.
Some of the choices include: * Liquid suspension medications, such as Peptol Bismal.
These work by coating the esophagus and soothing the pain.
However, they wear off very quickly.
* H-2 receptor blockers, which include over-the-counter drugs Zantac and Pepcid AC, shut off acid production.
They work slower than antacids but last longer.
* Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) control acid production and heal the esophagus.
These are medications such as Nexium and Prevacid and are taken under the guidance of a physician.