Over The Counter Heartburn Remedies

OMG Heartburn, how to stop it?

I have had heartburn for 5 days now and it will not go away. I have taken over the counter meds and if it does work, it’s only for a short time. With each day the heartburn gets worse and I will be seeing my Doctor Thursday. But I really need something for it now!!! I cut out anything that could have been giving me the heartburn in the first place. Is there anything I can do now, like a home remedy to ease this? I don’t eat or drink dairy, so that is out.

Incompetence of the lower esophageal sphincter allows reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, causing burning pain. Prolonged reflux may lead to esophagitis, stricture, and rarely metaplasia. Diagnosis is clinical, sometimes with endoscopy, with or without acid testing. Treatment involves lifestyle modification, acid suppression using proton pump inhibitors, and sometimes surgery.
Certain foods and lifestyle are considered to promote gastroesophageal reflux:
* Coffee, alcohol, and excessive amounts of Vitamin C supplements are stimulants of gastric acid secretion. Taking these before bedtime especially can promote evening reflux. Calcium containing antacids are in this group.
* Foods high in fats and smoking reduce lower esophageal sphincter competence, so avoiding these tends to help, as well. Fat also delays emptying of the stomach.
* Having more but smaller meals also reduces the risk of GERD, as it means there is less food in the stomach at any one time.
* avoid eating for 2 hours before bedtime
* avoid soft drinks
* avoid chocolate and peppermint
* avoid spicy foods
* avoid acidic foods like oranges and tomatoes (however, they are okay when fresh.)
* avoid cruciferous vegetables: onions, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts
* milk and milk-based products contain calcium and fat, so should be avoided before bedtime.
Please see the web pages for more details on Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Acidic reflux – Reflux symptom – Stomach acid