Treatment of Heartburn (Medications and Home Remedies)
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Heartburn is one of the most common digestive problems. It causes burning pain in the chest or throat area. Learn about its symptoms and treatment options.
Heartburn occurs when acid reflux (backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus) causes painful sensations in the upper abdomen. The condition is often triggered by eating too fast, drinking liquids that contain caffeine, smoking cigarettes, lying down after meals, or sleeping on an elevated surface.
Causes of heartburn.
There are several possible causes of heartburn. One cause is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is caused by the backflow of gastric juices into the esophagus. Another cause is hiatal hernia. Hiatal hernias occur when part of the diaphragm protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall. A third cause is excessive pressure on the lower end of the esophagus due to obesity.
Symptoms of heartburn.
If you suffer from heartburn, you might notice some of these
symptoms: acid taste in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting,
burping, bloating, belching, and chest pains. You should also avoid foods that
make your heartburn worse, such as fatty foods, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol,
chocolate, citrus fruits, carbonated beverages, and tobacco products.
Treatment for heartburn
Heartburn and reflux medicines are among the most widely used medicines, and no home is free of them. Some of them are called “over counter medicines” because they do not need a medical prescription to dispense them, but some of them are sold in the supermarket.
We will talk about the types of these drugs, the differences
between them, their uses, prohibitions in their use, their side effects, advantages,
and disadvantages.
We will divide medications into several groups:
The first group: Antacids
Alkaline drugs that neutralize stomach acid
The most famous of them are Mucogel, Maalox Plus, and
Maalox, but there are differences between them in the ingredients.
It contains calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, which
are alkaline substances that neutralize the acidity of the stomach.
It is aluminum hydroxide that also neutralizes the acidity
of the stomach.
The difference between Maalox and Maalox Plus is that Maalox
Plus is added to it simethicone a substance that treats flatulence and gas, so
it is recommended when feeling bloated with acidity.
When do you use antacids?
We use it when the patient has a slight reflux or when he feels heartburn after a heavy food.
Advantages and disadvantages of antacids
This type of medicine has a quick effect and relieves the
feeling of acidity and burning.
The disadvantage of antacids is that we cannot use them daily
for a long period of time because they have side effects that cause
constipation.
These medicines are not recommended for patients who have
fluid retention in the body, such as patients with liver cirrhosis, patients
with heart failure, high blood pressure and kidney failure. These medicines are
not recommended for patients because they increase fluid retention and are
harmful to them.
Second group: Buffering drugs
They are medicines that create a buffer layer between acid
and the lower esophageal valve, which improves the symptoms of acidity and
reflux.
The most famous of these drugs are Gaviscon and Gaviscon
Advance.
This medicine works to neutralize the acidity because it contains an alkaline substance and contains a foamy substance that isolates the acid between the acid and the lower esophageal valve.
The difference between Gaviscon and Gaviscon Advance is that
the amount of alginate foam is doubled in Gaviscon Advance. The patient who
does not feel better with the regular Gaviscon Advance is advised by the doctor
to take Gaviscon Advance.
Its uses:
It is very useful in cases of reflux, especially after
eating fatty food or a heavy dinner, as it treats the feeling of burning and
acidity.
Third group: Anti secretory
H2 blocker:
They are drugs that reduce stomach acidity. The first drug
that appeared in this group is a very popular drug that many patients took in
the last century.
Zantac is a drug called histamine-2 receptor antagonist. It
works on the cells that secrete acid, as these cells contain histamine- 2
receptors, and the drug blocks these receptors and reduces stomach acid. When
this drug appeared, it was a very new trend.
Advantages and disadvantages of Zantac:
The advantage of this drug is that it reduces acidity, but
it cannot be used in cases of stomach ulcers and chronic GERD, but it is used
as an adjunct treatment for heartburn and acidity. Also, patients with
nighttime GERD can take Zantac tablets or effervescent tablets before bedtime.
One of the disadvantages of this medicine is that the
patient cannot use it for a long time because he found that its effect
gradually decreases with time.
Proton pump inhibitor:
They are very many, such as Nexium and Controloc, and they
work on the main pump of acid in the stomach, reducing the acidity
significantly.
Advantages and disadvantages:
The advantages of these drugs are that the patient can use
them for life without any problems, but they are likely to affect the bones and
cause fractures in the pelvic bones, but this has not yet been scientifically
proven, and it is also possible that it affects the kidneys, but it has also
not been scientifically proven.
These medicines may cause some minor side effects, such as:
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Diarrhea, bloating and gas because of reduced acidity, which
makes the harmful gut bacteria flourish.
All the above symptoms are minor and can be controlled with simple medications.
Instructions for taking these medicines:
It is important in these medicines that the patient does not
take them after eating. These medicines, for them to work and have a good
effect, should take them half an hour before eating.
Another important point is that these medicines cannot be
stopped suddenly. If a patient has ulcers, for example, or gastro-esophageal
reflux, and the doctor prescribes these medicines to him, if the patient stops
the medicine suddenly, he will have a sudden and rapid increase in acid, so he
goes to the doctor complaining of burning and severe acidity, this medicine
must be stopped gradually; we reduce the dose to a lower dose until we stop the
drug without this increase in acidity.
Its uses:
It is used in 3 conditions:
First, the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease
Second: Treating stomach and duodenal ulcers
Third: As an adjunct treatment for helicobacter pylori
New drugs for heartburn and reflux disease.
There are medicines that appeared about 3 years ago that
also act on the acid pump in the stomach, but they are long-acting
Medicines such as Nexium have a disadvantage that their
effect lasts for only 16 hours
As for the newer drugs, such as Dexlant, their effect lasts
for 24 hours, so they are useful for patients with nocturnal reflux.
Treating heartburn at home.
Refrain from consuming substances that cause heartburn.
Heartburn may be aggravated by fatty or fried foods, tomato sauce, alcohol,
chocolate, mint, garlic, onion, citrus fruits (strawberries, pineapple),
vinegar, foods that can produce gas (peppers, cabbage), and caffeine. Don't eat
too much. Try eating more frequent, smaller meals. Wait two to three hours
after eating before lying down or bending over. After eating, avoid lying down.
Set your bed's head higher. Never smoke. Avoid taking NSAIDs, such as Aspirin,
Aleve, and Ibuprofen, which can aggravate your stomach. Reduced abdominal
pressure that pushes acid into the esophagus may be aided by weight loss. Don't
dress too formally.
Foods That decrease the Acid Reflux
Eat fiber-rich foods
Which prevents the individual from overeating
It includes:
Oatmeal, couscous, and brown rice are examples of whole
grains.
Sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets are examples of root vegetables.
green foods including green beans, broccoli, and asparagus.
Eat astringent foods
Which neutralizes the gastric acidity
Alkaline meals
consist of:
Bananas
Melons
Cauliflower\sFennel\sNuts
Eat Watery dishes
To dilute gastric acid. Select foods like:
Soups made with celery, cucumber, lettuce, and watermelon
broth
Flavored tea
Does milk aid with heartburn relief?
It is thought that milk can relieve heartburn, however, not
all types of milk as the same; full cream milk may increase gastric acidity because
its high-fat content may increase gastric acid secretion, on contrast, skimmed
milk may be buffer the gastric acidity and causes immediate relief of
heartburn. Also, low-fat yogurt may help to reduce heartburn and it also
contains plenty of probiotics (good bacteria).
Conclusion:
Medicines that treat acidity and GERD are many and different
and can be divided into 3 groups according to the way they work, but it must be
considered not to take them until after visiting the doctor for accurate
examination and identification of the appropriate medication for each patient’s
case.