Your healthcare provider can help you find the best way to manage your condition and prevent long-term problems.
Your healthcare provider can help you find theright treatment plan, which may include prescription medications.
In some cases, GERD can be cured permanently withsurgerysuch asNissen fundoplication.
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Often, what youdon’t do with GERDis as important as what you do.
This, in turn, reduces gastric pressure.
This allows more gastric acid to seep from the stomach into the esophagus.
However, it can take up to 15 minutes for those signals to reach the brain.
By eating quickly, you risk overfilling the stomach before the messenger signals reach the brain.
Unless you are ambidextrous, this simple fix is almost guaranteed to slow down the pace of a meal.
If you eat a lot of food, the pressure against the LES increases even further.
To avoid this, avoid eating or drinking at least two hours before bedtime.
If you have severe GERD symptoms, you may want to stop four hours beforehand.
you’re free to elevate your head in several ways:
The same general approach applies to naps.
Some people find that napping in a chair can helpprevent heartburnbetter than if napping in bed.
Avoid Trigger Foods
You probably already know some of the foods thatcause heartburn.
Some trigger heartburn by increasing stomach acid, whereas others do so by relaxing the LES.
Alcohol is especially problematic.
It can sometimes be hard to know which foods are causing GERD symptoms.
This will help you develop aheartburn dietthat may be able to prevent or reduce symptoms.
Use Antacids Correctly
Antacids can be a very effective means of treating acute heartburn.
The overuse of antacids can cause constipation, diarrhea, change in stool color, and stomach cramps.
Products containing calcium may even cause kidney stones.
What is the safest acid reflux medicine for long-term use?
There is some concern that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may increase the risk of long-term health problems.
For this reason, your healthcare provider may not recommend PPIs unless you have daily symptoms.
For occasional heartburn, it may be better to choose an H2 blocker or anantacidlike Tums or Rolaids.
They can also increase the likelihood ofacid refluxeven if you don’t have GERD.
Opt instead for loose-fitting garments, untucked shirts, and suspenders rather than belts.
Relax
Although stress does not cause GERD, it can makeGERD symptomsworse.
Over time, smoking can also decrease the overall tone of the LES.
Quitting may not be easy, but the benefits invariably outweigh the risks.
Summary
If you have frequent heartburn, it is important to see your healthcare provider.
It may also help to keep your head elevated while you sleep, stop smoking, and avoid stress.
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