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Fastest Heartburn Relief

Heartburn is one of those medical conditions over which we have little to no control. After a meal, it can sneak up on you with little warning. Few surefire medical treatments exist to prevent heartburn from occurring, so the best we can do is treat it with the method that will provide the quickest relief: an over-the-counter antacid.

  1. Fastest heartburn reliever

    • Heartburn treatments like H2 blockers and alginates provide longer relief periods, but take more time to kick in. Antacids relieve your heartburn in a more rapid manner. By neutralizing your stomach's and digestive tract's existing acid, antacids provide immediate acid-reflux relief.

      However, antacids provide short-term relief, and you will need to take some any time an attack occurs. You can extend the relief time by taking antacids one hour after meals or right before reflux symptoms begin following a meal.

    Types of antacids

    • Taken orally, antacids contain the following ingredients (in various combinations): aluminum hydroxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate. Some well-known antacids used to control heartburn symptoms and that can be taken either as a liquid or tablet are Chooz, Di-gel, Maalox,, Rolaids and Tums.

      Two of the stronger heartburn-relieving antacids are Gaviscon and Mylanta. Gavison combines the same active ingredient for heartburn as general antacids, and in conjunction with constituents like alginic acid and sodium bicarbonate, control stomach acids more powerfully. Mylanta's use extends to cases of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), which results from chronic cases of heartburn.

    Possible side effects

    • If you take an excess amount of antacids more than on an occasional basis and more than the recommended daily amount, you may experience side effects such as constipation, diarrhea, headaches, muscle weakness, vomiting and nausea. These will go away on their own, but you can lessen the effects and the possibility of heartburn occurring by considering a natural remedy such as eating smaller meals.

      You also should check antacid labels to make sure you're not allergic to any of the ingredients.

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