Heartburn (cont.)

Medical Author:

Yesha R Patel, MD

Coauthor:

David Jerrard, MD

Coauthor:

Vincent W Yang, MD, PhD

Medical Editor:

Simmy Bank, MD, MB, ChB

Medical Editor:

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD

Medical Editor:

BS Anand, MD

For mild or occasional symptoms, simple lifestyle modifications can be helpful.

Avoid large meals.
Avoid caffeine (coffee, teas, some soft drinks).
Avoid foods or drinks that reduce pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter such as chocolate, peppermint, caffeine-containing beverages, and fatty or fried foods.
Avoid foods that damage the esophagus such as spicy foods, citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes and tomato sauces.
After eating, beware of activities that force acid back into your esophagus. Such activities include lifting, straining, coughing, and wearing tight clothing.
Use gravity to your advantage. Avoid lying down within 3 hours of meals. If you suffer from nighttime heartburn, elevate the head of your bed when sleeping. Place 6-inch blocks underneath the head of the bed, or place a wedge under the mattress. Simply using more pillows under your head will not help. In fact, it may worsen the heartburn by increasing the pressure on your stomach.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Stop smoking.
Limit alcohol intake.
Antacids such as Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, or Rolaids can also be helpful. Antacids work by neutralizing acid. They should be taken 1 hour after meals or when heartburn symptoms occur.
Low doses of drugs that block the production of stomach acid are available over-the-counter. Some examples include cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), and famotidine (Pepcid).