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What Are Some Cures for Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux, or gastroesophogeal reflux (GED), is a common occurrence where the muscle that opens and closes at the bottom of the esophagus to let food in and keep digestive juices or acids out does not work as it should. Some of the digestive juices from the stomach go back up the esophagus, creating heartburn and a bitter taste in the back of the mouth.

  1. Features

    • When acid reflux happens twice or more per week for more than six months, the condition changes to gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. GERD can occur at any age, but the muscle involved, called the LES, is commonly worn down in healthy people over 50-years-old, making GER or GERD more common as people get older. The main symptom of acid reflux is heartburn, but some people with acid reflux never experience heartburn. Their symptoms include a dry cough, asthma like symptoms or trouble swallowing.

    Lifestyle Changes

    • The first course of action in curing acid reflux, according to the National Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse, is to make lifestyle changes. If you smoke, stop smoking. Avoid foods and beverages that worsen symptoms--carbonated soda, caffeine, tomato juice, chocolate, citrus fruits, garlic, onions and mint and fatty and fried foods. Lose weight if you are overweight. Eat small, frequent meals, and avoid lying down for three hours after eating. You can also try keeping your head elevated while sleeping and wearing loose clothing.

    Medications

    • For mild acid reflux, over-the-counter medications based on the minerals magnesium, aluminum and calcium are used. There are few side effects, but magnesium can cause diarrhea and aluminum and calcium can both cause constipation. Because of this, the minerals are often combined in formulas to balance the effects. These medications are common and are known as antacids, because they act by neutralizing the acid in the stomach. Other forms of medication include foaming agents that cover your stomach contents to prevent acid reflux, H2 blockers which work in about 50 percent of the people who use them and proton pump Inhibitors, which work better than H2 blockers and also heal the esophagus in almost everyone who has GERD. Prokinetics strengthen the LES and help the stomach empty faster, but have many side effects. Usually the drugs are used in combination for the best effect.

    Surgery

    • Surgery may be called for if symptoms do not improve from medications and lifestyle changes. Surgery may also be an option to stop a lifetime use of medications. The most common surgery is called fundoplication, where the upper part of the stomach is wrapped around the LES, strengthening the sphincter. It is a safe procedure, and patients can usually return to work in two to three weeks. Endoscopic techniques either make pleats in the LES or burn the LES to produce scarring. The long-term effects of endoscopic techniques are unknown.

    Considerations

    • A completely accurate diagnostic tool for GERD does not exist. There is no proof that exposure to acid in the lower esophagus causes damage to the lining. You can have acid reflux without having heartburn, although heartburn is the most common symptom. Using antacids for more than two weeks is a sign that your condition is more serious and requires different treatment.

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