Best remedies for heartburn

Heartburn is one of the most frequent health problem people deal with. One third of Americans experience heartburn at least once per month^[1]. Heartburn is significantly more prevalent in America and Europe (20%) than in Asia (10%)^[2]. This confirms that it is mostly caused by lifestyle choices, especially in nutrition. The good new though is that, when dealing with heartburn occasionally, you can soothe symptoms fast and easy using natural remedies for acid reflux.

If you are experiencing heartburn more than twice a week, chances are that you are suffering from GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) and, in this case, medical investigations, diagnosis and treatment prescription are a must for improving the quality of your day-by-day life and for maintaining your health.

Table of contents

1. What is heartburn?
2. What are the differences between heartburn, acid reflux and GERD?
3. What causes heartburn?
4. What are the symptoms of heartburn?
5. How long does heartburn last?
6. Home treatment for heartburn
7. How to reduce heartburn symptoms?
8. GERD diet recommendations
9. Recipes who can help you avoid acid reflux symptoms
10. Heartburn in children
11. Heartburn during pregnancy
12. Allopathic treatments for heartburn
13. Surgery for heartburn
14. GERD diagnosis and tests
15. Homeopathic treatments
16. How to cure heartburn permanently

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is not a heart condition, as its name may misguide you into thinking. It is in fact a dysfunction consisting in stomach content flowing back into the esophagus. Almost everyone will experience heartburn at some point in their life because it is often associated to temporary conditions like pregnancy, bad eating habits, alcohol consumption or stress. Although heartburn often seems a transitory problem, 40% of the Americans affected by heartburn admit that they lose night sleep because of it and this negatively affects their job performance the next day. That’s why knowing remedies for heartburn and getting medical help can improve the overall life quality, not only digestion.

What are the differences between heartburn, acid reflux and GERD?

The three terms are often used as synonyms, to describe a discomfort in the upper part of the stomach. In fact, they refer to three different physical conditions:

Acid reflux is what we commonly call the sensation of gastric acid raising up in the throat and mouth. This happens because the muscle between the stomach and the esophagus is no longer firm and allows gastric acid to leak into the esophagus.

Heartburn is used to describe the burning sensation around the chest and throat and can be a symptom of several diseases, although most often it is caused by gastric disorders.

GERD is a chronic form of acid reflux and heartburn. A person who experience acid reflux and heartburn frequently is very likely to be diagnosed with GERD and needs medical care.

What causes heartburn?

There are two big categories of factors that can lead to heartburn: lifestyle factors, certain foods intake or medicines and physical conditions.

The most common lifestyle factors leading to heartburn include:

• Obesity
• Sedentarism
• Intake of a high quantity of food
• Alimentation poor in fibres
• Late dinners or snacks
• Wearing tight clothes or accessories
• Stress
• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol

Here is a heartburn infographic based on statistical researched data in United States, plus the common causes behind heartburn:

Just like alcohol or smoking, some foods make the muscle called lower esophageal sphincter to relax and not retain anymore the acid in the stomach. If you want to avoid heartburn, this type of foods are a no-go: coffee, chocolate, onion, tomatoes, garlic, high fat or spicy food.

Certain medicines have been also been proven to have acid reflux effects: Ibuprofen based medicines, calcium-channel blockers, beta-blockers, aspirin, antihistamines, sedatives, antidepressants.

And then there are also physical conditions, temporary or inborn, that may lead to heartburn. During pregnancy, women are very likely to suffer from heartburn and acid reflux because their progesterone level increases and causes the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter.

Heartburn may develop as a consequence of other more severe medical conditions such as hiatal hernia (an anomaly causing the stomach to push up towards the chest through a small hole in the diaphragm muscle) or peptic ulcer (an alteration of the stomach lining).

In 2001, Dr. Jonathan Wright from Tahoma Clinic wrote the book “Why Stomach Acid Is Good for You: Natural Relief from Heartburn, Indigestion, Reflux and GERD”^[3] that has blown away all the common beliefs and medical theories about heartburn. According to Dr. Wright, in most of the cases, the root cause of the heartburn and digestive dysfunctions is the low level of gastric acid, not the excess, as it is said. When our stomach lacks a significant quantity of acid, he says, we have troubles digesting the food and we end up with a stomach distress and heartburn. Therefore, he rejects antacids as treatment for heartburn and recommends trying to increase the level of the acid in our stomach.

Symptoms

A person suffering from heartburn will feel a discomfort, pain or a burning sensation in the upper part of the chest. These symptoms may be doubled by gastric discomfort, soar throat, a bad taste in the mouth, bloating and belching and even difficult swallowing in the most severe forms. Symptoms usually intensify when bending or laying down.
Symptoms can be misleading and hide more severe medical conditions. That’s why it is critical to seek medical advice in case they persist even after using medicines or natural remedies for heartburn.

How long does heartburn last?

A common form of heartburn shouldn’t last more than a few hours. More important than its time length is to assess how frequent heartburn episodes occur and if you can relate them with an objective cause like alimentation. If you begin to feel heartburn out of the blue and cannot identify anything that may have caused it, it is mandatory to see a doctor.

Home treatments for heartburn

If you are dealing with a mild heartburn episode and you want to get quick relief there are several remedies you can try right at home.

• Chamomile tea has a soothing effect on the digestive system. Boil one chamomile tea bag in a cup of water and drink up to 3 cups per day for a long lasting calming effect.
• Chewing gum. When you start to chew, the production of saliva is stimulated and this helps reduce the gastric acid level.
• Baking soda is a quick solution when facing heartburn. Pour one half of spoon of baking soda in a glass of water and drink from it every 2-3 minutes.
• It has been noticed that some essential oils are very effective in fighting acid reflux. Some of the best you can try to inhale during a heartburn episode are lavender, ginger, peppermint, eucalyptus or wild orange oil.
• Honey and vinegar. If you already know you are prone to heartburn, drink this magic potion 20 minutes before a meal, especially if you are about to take a festive dinner: pour one spoon of honey and one spoon of vinegar in a glass of warm water. If possible, use Manuka honey, an assortment of honey from New Zeeland produced by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush, which is very effective in the treatment of digestive diseases.
• If we go on Dr. Wright’s hand and believe that heartburn’s root cause is too little acid, lemon juice makes you feel better because it raises the level of gastric acid and speeds up the breaking down of the food stored in our stomach.
• Fennel seeds boiled in 3 cups of water will make you forget what heartburn feels like.
• Prepare a juice from alkaline vegetables and/or fruits: bananas, pears, potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers or carrots.
• Aloe vera can help reduce the inflammation in stomach and esophagus and remove the distress caused by heartburn.
• Eat almonds. They are alkaline and they slow down the acid production in your stomach, which can lead to instant relief.
• Pineapple juice. The bromelain enzyme contained by pineapple will help you reduce the acid reflux and generally improve your digestion.

How to reduce heartburn symptoms?

If heartburn has been giving you a hard time, it’s time to consider making some changes in your lifestyle that will make the difference.

• Quit smoking. Smokers have lower quantities of saliva, which, among others, helps neutralizing the acid in esophagus. Additionally, the chemicals from cigarettes damage the esophagus linings, relaxes the sphincter separating it from the stomach and increases the acid level.
• Give up tight clothes or belts. As Jonathan Wilson, colorectal consultant and general surgeon at The London Clinic, explains^[4], tight pants, skirts or belts put pressure on the stomach and gastric acid is pushed out, towards the esophagus.
• Reconsider your sleeping posture. The upper part of your body must be 4-6 inches upper than the legs to ensure an effective digestion and avoid acid reflux.
• Don’t lay down right before eating. Don’t start exercising either. Just go on with your activities in a vertical position.
• Get enough sleep. Sleep and heartburn seem to be in interdependent relation. On one hand, people with acid reflux and heartburn complain about the poor sleep they get. On the other hand, according to a study coordinated by Ron Schey^[5], M.D from Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System, people who are deprived of sleep on long term (they have less than 7 hours of sleep by night) have an amplified sensitivity to the GERD symptoms, including heartburn. Either way, not getting enough sleep seem to throw you into a vicious cycle of heartburn episodes and deteriorate your well being in time.
• Avoid meals 3 hours before bedtime. This way, you give your stomach enough time to break down the food.
• Take time to enjoy your meal. Forget about lunches served in front of the computer, while answering e-mails or talking on the phone. Chew your food and try to have your meals in a stress-free environment. Your stomach will take over the message the brain conveys and will respond with a smooth digestion.
• Less food, more time for your stomach to optimally digest. In nutrition, the rule of thumb is to always stop before the satiety installs. If you feel fed up it means there is already an extra-quantity of food that your stomach will need to break down and you will most likely deal with digestion problems and their unpleasant effects.
• Say goodbye to foods that stimulate acid production in your stomach or have a relaxing effect on the lower esophageal sphincter. Chocolate, spicy food, fat food are the biggest enemies of good digestion.
• Lose weight if you have some extra-pounds and stay fit if you don’t. Overweight, especially fat concentrated on the belly puts an additional pressure on the stomach and triggers hormonal changes that may contribute to the increased frequency of acid reflux.

GERD diet recommendations

GERD and its symptoms do not have to be your life-long companion. If you have been dealing with heartburn frequently, you may escape discomfort temporarily with various home or medical treatments. But in order to make sure you have results on long term, it is recommended to adopt a GERD diet.

What to avoid:

• chocolate
• spices
• fat food
• carbonate beverages
• tomatoes
• coffee
• alcohol
• garlic
• onion

Try to replace the above with food proven to help reduce the GERD symptoms:

• Low cholesterol aliments: salmon, tuna, almonds
• Replace high fat food with healthy fats: coconut oil, avocado, nuts, chia seeds
• Probiotics like yogurt must be part of your daily nutrition
• Food rich in fibres: cereals and seeds, fresh veggies

Except from trying to stick to general guidelines for an improved diet, you must also adjust your GERD diet according to your medical history and other disorders you may have.

If you suffer from allergies, you have to investigate them and identify if there are foods that you are allergic to in order to remove them from your diet. Allergy is one of the medical conditions that worsens GERD symptoms. Children that are allergic to milk and diary products will develop acid reflux, that’s why it is important to remove it or replace it in case of infants.

The bone broth is underrated when it comes to GERD symptoms alleviation, but it effectively fights food intolerance and allergies, thus spare you of heartburn and acid reflux.

Recipes that can help you avoid acid reflux symptoms

Being on a GERD diet doesn’t have to be dull. You can still enjoy food just as you would if you were eating without any restrictions.
Let’s have a look at how a day menu could look and taste like for someone who goes for a shift in diet in order to avoid heartburn and acid reflux symptoms:

Breakfast recipes:

• Prepare a smoothie from alkaline fruits like bananas, pears or apples. Avoid citruses. Add 2-3 spoons of yogurt. It’s a nourishing energizing drink that can ensure a good digestion for the rest of the day.

• Boiled eggs can make for a low cholesterol breakfast and are generally well tolerated by people affected by GERD, unlike fried or scrambled eggs. Serve them next to a slice of seeds bread.

• Replace coffee by tea and if you are on low energy, always choose a fruit instead of croissants, biscuits or doughnuts.

Lunch recipes:

There are plenty of choices for the lunch from chicken meat to salads, fish or fully vegetarian dishes:

Sweet potatoes cream soup

You can start with a sweet potatoes cream soup.

1. Peel 2 sweet potatoes and boil them for 30 minutes.
2. Add 2 spoons of olive oil, one spoon of yogurt, and green condiments like basil, oregano, parsley. Avoid spicy condiments like pepper or chilli.
3. Blend the potatoes with the rest of the condiments and serve the soup with a slice of seeds bread, rich in fibres.
4. Serve

Grilled chicken breast and vegetables

Sprinkle 1 spoon of turmeric on both sides of the chicken breast. Add salt and other herbal spices you prefer (oregano, basil, thyme). Cook in the oven or on a grill for 20 minutes on each side. Prepare a side dish from carrots, broccoli and sweet potatoes. Slice them and cook them also for 20 minutes. There you go, you have a delicious healthy meal that will spare you of heartburn or acid reflux in the next hours.

Salmon and green salad

Cook a salmon fillet in the oven for 30 minutes. Add on top a sauce made of apple vinegar, olive oil and parsley. Serve it next to a green salad with cucumbers and avocado.

Deserts

There is a large variety of deserts you can prepare even if you are affected by GERD. The main principle you have to apply when preparing GERD diet deserts is that they have to be fruity and use as much as possible natural ingredients. Avoid pastry and cookies containing chemicals.

• Cinnamon glazed roasted pears. Slice 2-3 pears and add on top 2-3 spoons of honey, 2-3 spoons of water and 2 spoons of cinnamon. Cook them in the oven for about 20 minutes.
• Strawberries mousse: Chop 300 grams of strawberries and mix them with 2-3 spoons of sugar. In a different bawl, whip 3 eggs whites. After 3 minutes pour the strawberries mixture in the bawl containing the eggs and continue to whip for 3-4 minutes more, until you obtain the mousse texture.
• Fruits salads. Use bananas, apples, pears, pineapple, blueberries. Add 2 spoons of honey and prepare a natural milk cream for the toping.

Heartburn in children

The number of children developing GERD symptoms from very early ages is on a rising trend in the last years. In fact 50% of infants under 3 month experience at least one episode of acid reflux. This can be explained to a certain extent through anatomy: infants have a very low control on their muscles.

Their inability to communicate if they were fed enough as well as allergy or intolerance to milk’s components may intensify their acid reflux.

Once they develop the abilities to seat and walk, the acid reflux should diminish in frequency. If this doesn’t happen over the age of 8-10 months, your child must undergo a pediatric check.

One easy way you can help your baby to not have acid reflux after a meal is to not lay him/her down after feeding and softly tap his back.

When it comes to children, it is easier to prevent than to treat heartburn. Childhood and adolescence are the key periods when theeating habits are formed.

Therefore, make sure to guide your child on the right track when it comes to lifestyle choices:

• Avoid fast and junk food. It’s high cholesterol and greasy and just perfect to cause problems in digestion for your child.
• Make sure your child’s diet is dominated by fresh veggies and proteins.
• Limit access to sweets and carbonate beverages. Eat chocolate and pastry occasionally and in very low quantities.
• Pay attention to your child’s eating discipline. No chips should be allowed between meals. If a snack is needed, it should be fruits or a salad.
• Teach your child to drink water several times across one day. Water is the fuel of a good digestion as it keeps gastric components in their ideal form.

If in spite of carrying on a healthy life and eating the right way, your child still complains about stomachaches and a burning sensation in the chest, a medical check is needed.

You should be concerned about your child’s well being if he experiences frequently one or more of the symptoms below:

• discomfort, pain or burning in the chest
• regurgitation
• vomiting
• chocking or difficulties to swallow
• nausea

It is highly important to not label these signs as “simple indigestion” because, in time, untreated GERD symptoms may lead to complications. The most frequent consequences of heartburn and acid reflux are:

• Asthma or other type of respiratory problems like pneumonia or laryngitis caused by the gastric acid that may get to lungs .
• Esophagitis consisting in the damage of the esophagus lining as a result of frequent interaction with the gastric acid.
• Esophageal stricture meaning a narrow esophagus prohibiting us from correctly swallowing the food.

The best news about children with acid reflux and heartburn is that they are the category most likely to reduce symptoms efficiently. If problems are discovered on time, they can be easily submitted to lifestyle changes and medication if necessary and, on the long term, they have high chances of leading a normal life.

Heartburn during pregnancy

Heartburn is an unpleasant problem many mothers-to-be complain about. The worse part about having heartburn while being pregnant is that you are more limited in applying measures to fight it back.

Loosing weight is not something that pregnant women can consider. Their body weight will naturally increase and pregnancy is not the time for going on diet. They have also constraints in taking medicines that may help alleviate the heartburn.

But why do pregnant woman experience more frequently heartburn?

It is part of their body natural evolution. The progesterone level increases and causes the low esophagean sphincter to relax and not stop anymore the stomach content from going into esophagus. As the pregnancy evolves and foetus increases, the pressure on the stomach increases too. That’s why, the heartburn and acid reflux symptoms usually intensify in the third trimester of pregnancy.

On top of that, as we all know, craving is affecting many of the pregnant women, which makes it more difficult for them to resist the temptation of eating food that causes heartburn.

What can pregnant women do to soothe heartburn:

• Split the food in smaller portions. Eat less and more often rather than 2 times a day in higher quantity.
• Sit or walk around after eating.
• Avoid food that are hard to digest. As hard as it may be, remember that pregnancy is the time when you have to make the best nutrition choices. Go easy on chocolate, cookies, spicy or fat food. Make sure salads, chicken meat, fruits, yogurt prevail in your daily diet.
• Try herbal teas or a spoon of honey when dealing with a heartburn episode.
• Use medications carefully and only after seeking doctor’s advice.

Allopathic treatment for heartburn

If natural remedies for heartburn fail it is time to consider medication. Most of the medicines are recommended for occasional and short-term use because they may affect other parts of our body.

Allopathic treatment for heartburn include several categories of medicines:

Antacids

Antacids are the most widely spread and used. They come as liquids or tablets. Their main effect is the decrease of acid level in the stomach. Antacids ingredients include: aluminium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, magnesium trisilicate, magnesium hydroxide, calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. Some antacids contain alginates which are gummy substances that solidify the stomach lining, preventing gastric acid to leak into esophagus.

The problem with using antacids frequently is that they lower the acid quantity and without enough of it we get a poor digestion. Apart from that, they may have other side effects. For instance, the ones containing sodium bicarbonate reduce the absorption of vitamins and minerals in our body.

Antacids’ most frequent side effects:

• diarrhea;
• constipation;
• flatulence;
• nausea or vomiting;

For the following categories of people, the use of antacids is above the red risk line:

• pregnant women;
• mothers who breast feed;
• people with liver or kidneys diseases;
• people suffering from heart failure and/or high blood pressure
• children under 12 can only use a part of the antacids’ range of products;

Histamine receptor (H2) blockers

They decrease the production of acid by blocking the action of histamine on the histamine H2 receptors of the parietal cells in the stomach. H2 blockers belong to the class of antihistamines which alleviate the allergic reactions.

H2 blockers are much more tolerated than antacids and they are meant for a more frequent use in order to bring results. The common dose is up to 4 times a day, for several weeks.

H2 blockers come in a variety of formats: powder, solution, tablets, chewable tablets, injectables, capsules, suspension, granules, liquid, syrup.

The substances they contain include: nizatidine, famotidine , cimetidine, ranitidine.

Besides treatment of gastric acid reflux, H2 blockers are effective in treating peptic ulcer and dyspepsia. Some doctors prescribe them also in treating pancreas diseases or allergies.

The main side effects of H2 blockers include:

• diarrhea
• constipation
• insomnia
• dry mouth and skin
• increase of nose secretion
• headaches
• dizziness
• urinary complications
• very rare: hallucinations, respiratory problems, irregular heart rate

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

The proton pump inhibitors also decrease the level of acid in the stomach by blocking the action of an enzyme responsible with its production called H+/K+ ATPase.

PPIs are used in reducing acid reflux, but also in the treatment of duodenal ulcer, peptic ulcer, dyspepsia, Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy, various types of gastritis.

When and how do you take PPIs?

Unlike antacids that are recommended in the treatment of occasional or mild acid reflux and heartburn symptoms, PPIs are prescribed when the patient has already been dealing with this type of problems for a long time and they became chronic. It must be taken under medical supervision and not for more than 4 weeks.

A particularity of the PPIs is that they should be taken 30 minutes before eating. Taking PPIs after a meal may prove ineffective because by the time you finished eating, the stomach has already started to process the food and first signs of acid reflux and heartburn are about to appear.

PPIs contraindications and side effects

PPis contain as main excipients rabeprazole, omeprazole, esomeprazole, pantoprazole, deslansoprazole, lansoprazole, so it is recommended to avoid them if you are allergic to any of them.

The most frequent side effects noticed while undergoing a treatment with PPIs include: headache, nausea, flatulence, constipation, diarrhea. If used on long term it may lead to a drop in vitamin B12 level.

On long term, PPIs may affect also more key functions of our body.

Recent studies^[6] show that PPIs may be linked to serious chronic kidney diseases and to high risk of suffering a heart attack. They also alter the chemical composition of the gut and increase the risks of getting infections with Clostridium difficile Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus or E. coli .

According to tests made on mice, PPIs may lead to the growth of enzymes which create the brain plaques specific to Alzheimer disease.

You must take caution in using PPIs always but especially if you fall into one of these categories:

• pregnant and breastfeeding woman
• people with liver and kidneys diseases
• allergic to one of the components
• people who are over 50 years old.

Prokinetics

Unlike the other medicines which help reduce the acid reflux by impacting directly the quantity of acid, the prokinetics help the lower esophageal sphincter to relax and properly fulfil its role of gate between stomach and esophagus. This way, stomach content is prevented from leaking into the esophagus.

The most commonly used prokinetics are metoclopramide, cisapride, bethanechol, domperidone, ranitidine, nizatidine. They come as tablets, liquids and injectables.

Because prokinetics have an impact on the causes of the acid reflux not on the symptoms (as antacids or H2 blockers), they are recommended in chronic GERD dysfunctions. If you take them when you face an occasional heartburn episode, you most likely won’t see signs of improvement. On the contrary, you may rather feel the side effects like: muscle spasms, speech articulation problems also caused by the involuntary movements of the tongue and lips muscles, anxiety, irritation, depression, irregular heart beats. More rarely people taking prokinetics have experienced abnormal prolactin release (reported by both men and women), impotence or menstrual disorders.

On long term use, prokinetics may seriously affect the neurologic functions and generate diseases like:

• Dystonia consisting in repetitive movements and twists of the body caused by muscles spams
• Tardive dyskinesia consisting in uncontrolled movements of the body.

Surgery to solve heartburn problems

When to consider surgery?

Surgery is seen as last resort for curing heartburn, when medications failed to do that or when serious complications have installed as a results of frequent acid reflux.

The most common complications are:

• Esophagitis – a severe inflammation of the esophagus under the frequent interraction with gastric acid
• Esophagus stricture – when your esophagus has narrowed making swallowing quite difficult.
• Barret’s esophagus – when the lining of the esophagus has been altered and its structure is very similar to the one of the stomach lining. This leads to malfunctions in digestion and a high gastric discomfort for the patient.

Types of surgeries for curing GERD:

• Fundoplication is the classic surgery for curing GERD. In fundoplication, the stomach is tied to the LES muscle to help strengthen it. The preparation for Fundoplication is no different than for any other surgery and it requires not eating starting with the evening preceding the intervention and drinking liquids prior to surgery.
• Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication is suitable for people who are afraid of going through the ordeal of a classic surgery. TIF is a procedure that doesn’t imply in fact cutting. A device is introduced through the patient’s mouth and it should generate a valve at the esophagus level.
• Stretta is a procedure done through endoscope. A heat tube is introduced in the esophagus and it blocks the nerves which respond to acid reflux. Stretta is a recent procedure and, from the experience gathered so far, it seems it can help remove GERD symptoms for up to ten years. It is also very convenient because recovery is fast and patients can resume their normal life in just a few days.
• Endoluminal Gastroplication Procedure or EndoChinch. It stitches part of stomach tissue to the esophagus in order to strengthen the sphincter between them. The procedure is done through an endoscope.

Lately, EndoChinch has been less used in the favor of newer procedures like Stretta or the classic Fundoplication.

How is GERD diagnosed

Symptoms like heartburn and acid reflux can be encountered in many diseases, that’s why when seeking medical assistance after frequently experiencing heartburn and acid reflux, doctor may ask you to go through one or several advanced tests to be able to confirm or infirm GERD diagnosis.

What to expect if you are asked to submit yourself to GERD tests:

1. PH monitoring is an ambulatory test done using a certain medical device. Usually a wireless capsule is placed in the patient’s esophagus through an endoscope in order to measure the acid level for 24 hours. The values of the acid level are recorded on a receiver device that the patient wears on the belt.
2. Endoscopy is done by introducing in the esophagus a small device with a camera helping the doctor examine the lining. Endoscopy enables medical staff to prelevate probes for further examination and it is useful in determining the degree of complications caused by frequent acid reflux. It is efficient in diagnosing Barret’s esophagus and esophagitis.
3. Barrium esophagram is less used in the last years. The patient is asked to drink barrium, that facilitates examination of the whole digestive system through X-ray .
4. Esophageal manometry allows the doctor to identify the causes of the swallowing difficulties, in case the patient reports them. Through devices placed in the patient’s nose and esophagus, the doctor examines the esophagus movements.

Homeopathic treatments for heartburn and acid reflux

The homeopathy has developed for heartburn and acid reflux, like for any other disorder, treatments that address the patient’s problem holistically, based on a set of symptoms.

Taking homeopathic treatments for getting rid of heartburn and acid reflux is a complex procedure that should be done under the guidance of a homeopath specialist. The advantage of the homeopathic treatments is that they are non-invasive, they have from less and lighter side-effects to none and they can be very effective on the long term.

There are a few treatments proposed by homeopaths for people affected by GERD symptoms:

• Nux Vomica is recommended if you go through any type of stomach pain or discomfort and if you frequently have the ugly experience of stomach acid being thrown back into your mouth. It is more suitable and effective for people who experience the acid reflux and heartburn as a consequence of the stress, burnout, disorganized and unhealthy meals, as well as addictions to alcohol, smoking, coffee.
• Pulsatilla works best for gourmands. People who can’t help themselves from eating goodies or everything in their plate will find alleviation from the acid reflux in Pulsatilla.
• Arsenic album works best for anxious persons affected by acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, sour taste in their mouth, stomach pains or diarrhea, persistent thirst sensation.
• Phosphorus is also recommended to people who give signs of anxiety and are craving for cold food or drinks to only feel sick after intaking them. It is efficient in removing symptoms like stomach void sensation, stomach pain, regurgitation, diarrhea or constipation. People in need of phosphorus are people with many fears including fear of the dark, fear of being lonely.
• Carbo Vegetabilis is effective in detoxing our body. It will work best for people digesting badly even simple foods or for people who overeat. It successfully soothes symptoms like: flatulence, indigestion, bloating, belching, regurgitation, heartburn. Many of the patients under treatment with Carbo Vegetabilis complain about the sensation of not having enough air or about dizziness.
• Ipecac gives good results in helping people with symptoms like vomiting, acid reflux, excessive salivation. It can be used with excellent results in removing the pregnancy sickness symptoms.
• Aesculus Hippocastanum can help you if you have heartburn and acid reflux doubled by the sensation of pressure in your stomach and pain around the belly button.
• Staphisagria is extracted from the plant Delphinium Staphisagria and helps persons with difficulties in swallowing and acid reflux. It best fits patients who use to suppress their emotions.

How to cure heartburn permanently

Heartburn may be as easy as a bad day or night or can be a life-long nightmare. Unless faced with a severe malfunction, it is up to you to take the necessary measures for eradicating it.

After dealing with a heartburn episode, start evaluating the quality of your day-by-day lifestyle. Is the food you are eating really fuelling you and your health or is just a pleasure trigger? If you identify weak points in the way you eat, start from there. Give up on the aliments that stimulate acid production or relax the sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus, eat smaller portions, don’t overeat in the evening and lose weight if necessary.

Pay the doctor a visit if you have been dealing with heartburn more than twice a week. You will receive guidance on the lifestyle changes you need to make and on the medication, if necessary. If severe problems are identified don’t lose hope. They can be corrected surgically or with the adequate medication. If you have already looked for medical advice you have done part of the hard job and you’re on your way to cure heartburn permanently.

1. Heartburn statistics – Harvard Health Tips – retrieved 21 May 2017
2. Update on the epidemiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a systematic review – National Institutes of Health – retrieved 21 May 2017
3. Why stomach acid is good for you, by Jonathan V. Wright, Lane Lenard – GoodReads – retrieved 21 May 2017
4. How your control pants can give you heartburn – Daily Mail Online – retrieved 21 May 2017
5. Sleep Deprivation Is Hyperalgesic in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease – Gastrojournal – retrieved 21 May 2017
6. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may come with worrying health effects – Daily Mail Online – retrieved 21 May 2017