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Acid Reflux & Heartburn treatment

Description

Acid reflux is also referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD or acid reflux. It is marked by some amount of liquid regurgitating from the stomach back into the esophagus. This liquid that is being regurgitated could corrode the lining of the esophagus and cause inflammation. This liquid contains various enzymes and acids like pepsin and sometimes bile which injure the esophagus. Acid View more...

Causes

While there are several causes for GERD, some of the common causes include:
Abnormally elevated levels of acid in most patients suffering from GERD;
Anatomical causes include lower esophageal sphincter; esophageal contractions; emptying of the stomach; and hiatal hernia.
Physiological causes include pregnancy;

Prevention

This includes:
Avoiding or inhibiting various food items like: alcohol; chocolate; citrus fruits/juices; coffee; food containing tomatoes; high-fat or spicy foods; and peppermint.
Giving up smoking tobacco;
Weight management and reduction in case of obesity;
Lying down post meals;
Eating two hours prior to sleeping or retiring and/or before exercising;
Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes.
View more...

Common Symptoms

Agitation around mealtimes;
Belching;
Choking;
Frequent colds;
Frequent cough (particularly at night);
Frequent vomiting;
Gagging;
Growth problems;
Heartburn;
Hiccups;
Nausea;
Rattling sound in chest;
Refusing to eat;
Regular sore throat in the morning;
Regurgitation;
Sour taste in the mouth;
Stomach ache;
Wheezing.

Rare Symptoms

Asthma;
Chest Pain;
Ear/Nose/Throat Symptoms;
Chronic cough;
Sore throat;
Laryngitis with hoarseness;
Frequent throat clearing;
Growths on the vocal chords.

Traditional Treatment

Antacids may be aluminum, magnesium, or calcium based; histamine antagonists like cimetidine (Tagamet); ranitidine (Zantac); nizatidine (Axid); and famotidine; and (Pepcid).
Proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole (Prilosec); lansoprazole (Prevacid); rabeprazole (Aciphex); pantoprazole (Protonix); and esomeprazole (Nexium). Another proton pump inhibitor includes a combination of omeprazole and sod View more...

Alternative Treatment

Herbal remedies include extract, capsules, and elixirs of Licorice, mostly deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL); aloe vera, bladderwrack; slippery elm; marshmallow; meadowsweet; valerian; Wild Yam; St John's Wort; Skullcap; and linden flowers.
Homeopathy treatment includes: arsenicum album; carbo vegetalis; lycopodium; and Nux Vomica.
Acupuncture is also considered helpful in treating GERD.
Yoga t View more...

Treatment Comparison

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Brands	Effectiveness	Holistic Benefits	Side Effects	Number of Ratings
Nexium	7.38	6.05	1.6	64
Prevacid	7.38	6.31	1.61	32
Prilosec OTC	7.38	5.75	1.69	26
Tums	6.83	5.46	0.76	59
Omeprazole	6.7	5.44	1.73	33
Amoxil	0	0	0	0

View All	About these Scores
	Choose a condition to compare treatments based on user feedback. You can sort by Effectiveness, Holistic Benefits or Side Effects RateADrug user scores, or the number of Ratings. Scores gain significance with the number of ratings, so please share your experiences - rate your drug! Close