Heartburn Help - 3 Different Methods to Provide Heartburn Relief

Heartburn can cause so much pain while the regurgitated food together with stomach acids try to find their way out of the esophagus towards the throat. The burning sensation spreads out through your chest and causes sharp stabbing pain. What you need is immediate heartburn help to let the gas pass out of your system.

There are three methods of providing treatments: natural, over-the-counter and prescription remedies.

It is suggested that in applying remedial treatments, always start with the basics. This way, you can avoid spending for unnecessary medicines as well as eliminate possible side effects. Nonetheless, there are cases of severe and chronic heartburns that need more than just ordinary cures.

Natural Remedies

1. First, loosen any fastening that maybe causing constriction around your abdominal area.

2. If you are coming from a laid position, prop up your head in order to elevate it higher, above 6 inches higher than your lower limbs and feet. However, do not use pillows because you will only attain a position that can put more pressure on your stomach or abdomen.

3. Try the organic apple cider vinegar home cure. It can provide acid alkaline balance in your stomach. Chronic heartburn sufferers can take one table spoon of organic apple cider vinegar once a day on an empty stomach, to prevent gas pain attacks.

4. Take pure, raw, unprocessed, unheated honey after each meal, its antiviral effects can alleviate the inflammation in the esophagus.

Over-The-Counter (OTC) drugs

Antacids: These will neutralize the acid in the stomach. However, taking antacids can cause diarrhea or constipation due to the presence of magnesium or aluminum, respectively.

Acid Blockers: These drugs restrict the creation of stomach acid and come in two types, namely, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine antagonists (H2 antagonist). Side effects include dizziness, diarrhea, or mild headache.

Prescription Medicines

The use of prescription medicines is advised if the symptoms of heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are already occurring more than twice in a week. This situation already needs medicine that will work twenty-four hours a day. Normally, prescription medicines have higher dosages than OTC drugs. These may include:

Histamine-2 (H2) Blockers: Histamine commonly known as mediator against inflammation and allergic reactions are taken 30 minutes before eating meals. It encourages the production of acid after eating. H2 Blockers can also be taken before sleeping at night to prevent the production of acid while you sleep. The side effects are nausea, headache, sore throat, abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas, and runny nose.

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs): At the onset of the examination of the doctor, PPIs may be prescribed. They have the ability to effectively block the production of acid for a longer period than H2 blockers. This is best taken one hour before every meal but can result to side effects like bloating, gas, headache, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Promotility Agents: This type of medicine stimulates the gastrointestinal tract muscles to prevent the food intakes from settling in the stomach longer than necessary. It also strengthens the esophageal sphincter thereby limiting the acid reflux in the esophagus. Adverse effects may include restlessness, drowsiness, movement problems, fatigue, and diarrhea.

The kind of heartburn help you need will depend on the kind of lifestyle that you live. You may have found temporary relief for your attacks, but it has been medically established that correcting your lifestyle and food intakes can do a lot in improving your health.

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About the Author:
Alvin Hopkinson is a leading natural health educator and specialized in natural remedies