nd juices, like lemons, oranges, or grapefruit
- Ketchup and mustard
- Alcoholic drinks, like red wine
- Spicy foods, like salsa, peppers, or hot sauce
Everyone is different. It’s important to listen to your body and learn which foods cause your heartburn.
Some ways to help control heartburn are:
- Don't overeat at mealtimes.
- After eating, wait 2 to 3 hours before lying down.
- Raise the head of the bed 3 to 6 inches with a brick or boards. (Or raise your head AND upper body 3 to 6 inches using pillows when lying down.)
- Maintain a healthy weight. (Losing weight will help overweight patients.)
- Avoid doing exercises that put extra pressure on your belly (like sit ups) if they make symptoms worse.
- Don’t smoke. Smoking can weaken the LES muscle and increase your risk of esophageal cancer.
PROS AND CONS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACID REDUCERS
Antacids (Acid Neutralizer):
- How well it works: weak effect
- How long it works: weak effect
- How quickly it works: strong effect
- When to take: Mild, infrequent heartburn
H2 Blocker (Acid Reducer):
- How well it works: weak effect
- How long it works: medium effect
- How quickly it works: medium effect
- When to take: Mild - moderate heartburn
Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI):
- How well it works: strong effect
- How long it works: strong effect
- How quickly it works: weak effect
- When to take: Moderate - severe, frequent heartburn
Antacids (for mild, infrequent heartburn)
Antacids neutralize acid in the stomach. This helps to ease heartburn and acid indigestion.
There are different types of antacids, which include:
H2 Blockers (for mild to moderate heartburn)
- H2 blockers reduce the amount of acid made in the stomach. They are often called “acid reducers."
- They are used to treat heartburn caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and ulcers.
- Lower strengths are available over the counter. Higher strengths have to be prescribed by a doctor.
Proton Pump Inhibitors (for moderate to severe heartburn)
Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) stop the release of acid in the stomach.
They are used to treat heartburn and ulcers. They're also used to heal damage in the esophagus caused by stomach acid.
PPIs are better at treating heartburn than H2 blockers, but they do not relieve heartburn right away.
- Most PPIs are available over the counter, but a few still require a prescription.
- |Aspirin, sodium bicarbonate, and citric aci - Alka-Seltzer™
- Calcium carbonate - Tums™
- Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide - Maalox™
- Calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide - Rolaids™
Antacids can affect how other medicines work. It is best to take the medicines listed below about 2 hours before or after taking an antacid:
- Chlorodiazepoxide (Librium™)
- Diazepam (Valium™)
- Digoxin (Lanoxin™)
- Ibuprofen (Advil™, Motrin™)
- Indomethacin (Indocin™)
- Milk or foods that contain calcium
- Naproxen (Aleve™, Midol™, Naprosyn™, Pamprin™, Anaprox™)
- Tetracyclines (like doxycycline, minocycline, and tetracycline)
- Aluminum carbonate
- Aluminum hydroxide
- Aluminum magnesium hydroxide
- Dihydroxyaluminum sodium carbonate
Aluminum may cause constipation.
- Calcium carbonate
- Calcium may cause constipation
- Calcium may cause more acid to be released if used for a long period of time
- Magnesium carbonate
- Magnesium hydroxide
- Magnesium oxide
- Magnesium trisilicate
Magnesium may cause diarrhea.
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Sodium may cause distension or gas
- Sodium should not be used by people with congestive heart failure, kidney failure, swelling, liver conditions, or who are on low-sodium diets
- Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium carbonate
- Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide
- Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium trisilicate
- Calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate
- Calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide
- Potassium bicarbonate and sodium bicarbonate
- Cimetidine™ - Tagamet™
- Famotidine™ - Pepcid™|
- Nizatidine™ - Axid™
- Ranitidine - Zantac™
Cimetidine affects how many other drugs work. It's best to talk to a health care provider before taking cimetidine.
- Lansoprazole - Prevaci