Help for Chronic Acid Reflux

Acid reflux, with its symptoms of heartburn, acid taste in the mouth and nausea, is a fairly common digestive disorder that can cause discomfort and interfere with sleep. Its severity ranges from mild--occasional heartburn that is relieved by antacids--to serious, in which case it can cause life-threatening complications. If you have frequent heartburn, see a physician to rule out dangerous diagnoses. The bad news about acid reflux is that it tends to be a chronic, lifelong condition; the good news is that with some simple lifestyle changes, you can ease the symptoms.

Features of Acid Reflux

• Acid reflux is also called GERD, an abbreviated form of the disease's medical name: gastroesophageal reflux. What this tongue-twisting name means is that digestive liquids in your stomach regurgitate, or reflux, into your esophagus, where they can damage the esophageal lining. These acidic liquids contain pepsin, a digestive enzyme, and sometimes bile, which has backed up into the stomach from the small intestine. Usually reflux is due to laxity, or weakness, in the lower esophageal sphincter, or ring of muscle. If you're pregnant, or have a disease which weakens esophageal muscles--such as scleroderma--you're more vulnerable to acid reflux.

Alleviating Acid Reflux

• Reflux is worsened at night because your prone position makes it harder for liquids to return to the stomach; enlist gravity's help while you're sleeping by elevating your upper body in bed. You can use blocks under the bed's feet at the head, or sleep with your upper body on a wedge made for this purpose, but make sure your upper body--not just your head--is raised.

  Avoid stomach distention by eating smaller meals, and eat your evening meal earlier at night, so food has a chance to empty before you lie down. Lifestyle changes you should make include quitting smoking--if you smoke-- and saying goodbye to chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, spicy foods, citrus fruits and drinks, and beverages with caffeine. You should avoid fatty foods, too, as fat slows digestion and causes pressure on the esophageal muscle.

  To relieve indigestion naturally, you can chew on fresh ginger, which has stomach-soothing properties, or eat a slice of fresh papaya, which contains papain, a digestive enzyme. If your doctor has recommended antacids, you can get the most out of them by taking them after a meal, before symptoms begin. Replenish their acid-neutralizing capacity by taking a second dose two hours after a meal. If your doctor OKs it, you can take an H2 antagonist such as cimetidine, available over the counter; this drug helps to block acid-producing histamines.

  If your symptoms don't respond to cimetidine, ask your doctor about proton pump inhibitors, such as Prilosec. Proton pump inhibitors not only block acid secretion longer than H2 drugs, but also protect the esophageal lining. You might want to try a foam barrier--a combination of antacids and foaming mixture that physically blocks reflux--in conjunction with acid-reducing drugs.

  Finally, try using a low-tech, old-fashioned, yet effective heartburn remedy: chewing gum. Bicarbonates that naturally occur in your saliva help neutralize acids.

Precautions

• If you have chronic acid reflux, you need to monitored by a physician to prevent serious complications, which can include bleeding ulcers, esophageal scarring and a precancerous condition known as Barrett's esophagus. In addition, aspirating refluxed fluids can cause pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis. Over-the-counter medications used for acid reflux can have side effects, including constipation from aluminum-containing antacids and diarrhea from magnesium-containing antacids. Consult your doctor if this becomes a problem.