How to Treat an Acid Reflux Disease Symptom

Night after night you try to fall asleep, only to experience a painful acid reflux disease symptom. You get up, walk around, but the pain persists. What can you do to get relief?

Talk to Your Doctor

You should begin by talking to your doctor about your specific acid reflux problem. Everyone is different, and what works for someone else might not work for you. Your doctor will be able to assess the severity of your problem and recommend solutions based on your specific needs. He or she might recommend diet and lifestyle changes, over-the-counter antacids, or a stronger prescription antacid drug.

Make Diet and Lifestyle Changes

The most basic change you should make to your lifestyle is to eat six small meals a day instead of three large meals, along with small snacks. Small meals and snacks are much easier to digest, and you won't have that bloated, clogged feeling.

Eliminate acidic foods, carbonated beverages, and caffeine from your diet for a week or two and make a note of any changes. Slowly reintroduce those foods back into your diet one at a time. If you get heartburn again, you'll know which foods and beverages to avoid.

Don't lie down after a meal. Give your body some time to digest your food. When you go to bed, keep your head propped up as much as possible.

Stop smoking. Smoking aggravates acid reflux symptoms.

Take Over-The-Counter Antacids

Over-The-Counter (OTC) Antacids are often very effective for acid reflux sufferers. For short-term and infrequent attacks of acid reflux, they can provide much-needed temporary relief. Antacids neutralize the acid in your stomach, but can have side effects like constipation and diarrhea. If you find that your heartburn persists or notice that you're taking the maximum dose of an antacid daily for more than a week, tell your doctor.

Try Prescription Drugs

If diet and lifestyle changes don't work for you, and you're not getting relief from OTC antacids, you might be a candidate for stronger PPIs, or proton pump inhibitors. These prescription drugs work by inhibiting production of the stomach acid that causes acid reflux. They have relatively limited side effects. H2 blockers are a different family of drugs that have the same effect but work in a different way. For the vast majority of long-term acid reflux sufferers, PPIs and H2 blockers are a successful drug therapy.

You have several options when you experience acid reflux symptoms. Start with lifestyle and diet changes, but consult your doctor immediately if your heartburn suddenly worsens, as you might have another, undiagnosed health problem.