Managing Heartburn and Acid Reflux

We are all used to doing our resolutions every New Year. In fact, we love doing our list. But how many can really stick to our resolutions, to being committed to achieving each goal, to seeing it through ‘til the next New Year sets in? And when it comes to resolutions, nothing can be more challenging than those concerning our health. Have you ever promised yourself to eat healthy, never have more than just two glasses of your favorite wine? Health resolutions are really just that: Promises that are meant to be broken.
Heartburn and acid reflux are conditions that affect at least 15 million Americans. And the number isn’t going down; in fact, at least, there are at least 1 million Americans added to this statistics every year. And the growing profits of companies that manufacture antacids or H2 blockers only prove that heartburn and acid reflux aren’t something that can be managed and controlled by those who suffer from them. If you are just tired of reaching for your antacids every time heartburn and acid reflux kick in, we have here a list of affirmations to help you manage your condition — one step at a time.
I will visit my doctor. In order to manage acid reflux and heartburn, you need an able and competent ally: Your doctor. You need to learn about what is good for you: From what food to eat to what sleeping position is best for acid reflux sufferers. Drinking antacids is not a solution; in fact, it is impractical to spend hundred of dollars on antacids when you can do something to not trigger what you have been drinking about. If you are serious about truly managing your heartburn and acid reflux, tell your doctor your plans and goals. He will be more likely to not hand you a prescription, but of a list of lifestyle changes that will definitely stop acid reflux in its tracks.
I will prepare my own meals. Unless you have thousands of dollars to spend on carefully created heartburn-free meals, you know that when it comes to managing acid reflux and heartburn, the more home cooked meals you bring to work, the better for you and your tummy. Aside from being assured that no hint of onion, tomato, and citrus will land in your meal, brown bagging is really a practical measure that you can’t afford to miss these days.
I will maintain a food diary. If you weren’t used to having one, then, caring for your tummy is, indeed, the perfect opportunity for you to learn how to maintain a diary. But don’t worry about a kilometric entry; when it comes to food diary, all you need to jot down are the things that you have savored. Too tedious for a not-so detail-oriented person like you? You may want to make a meal or food planner every week so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to write those mid-day snacks. With an 8-5 meal planner, you can be sure that you have everything you need to know and write down about what you have had any day.

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The Secret to Preventing GERD and Acid Reflux Symptoms

Still swigging gallons of milk and popping antacids by default? Chances are you are your heartburn is not getting any cooler. But the good news is that, no matter how worse your acid reflux symptoms are, there is that one GERD treatment that can really put off that burn.

Medications
One of the very first things any heartburn sufferer will immediately reach is his bottle of antacids. But how effective can this method be? Not as much as we want it to. If you want a more lasting relief — one that can save you from the grueling discomfort even before it starts — here is a quick rundown of acid reflux disease treatments that you can discuss with your doctor.

H2 blockers. These items come as OTC and prescription meds. While H2 blockers, such as Pepcid and, of course, Zantac, used to be the standard treatment for heartburn and GERD, they are no longer prescribed as often now. Yes, they may be the very first meds a doctor will recommend for mild cases, but proton pump inhibitors are so much better in getting rid of painful heartburn and GERD symptoms.

H2 blockers are essentially less expensive than proton pump inhibitors, which makes it the perfec choice for those who are in a budget.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI). If you have a bad case of GERD, chances are your doctor has prescribed you one of these. These meds, which include Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid, is really the new standard when it comes to treating GERD. PPIs are key to better managing heartburn and GERD: One, by blocking the production of acid in the stomach and, two, by protecting the esophagus and, therefore, allowing it to recover from damages caused by acid reflux.

PPIs are safe and effective and even used by millions of health experts in diagnosis. It is often difficult to distinguish GERD from heartburn. But one effective way to do it is to simply administer PPIs. If they work, a patient probably has GERD. If they don’t, the patient may have something else.

Prokinetics. Your doctor would have prescribed one of the prescription drugs, such as Urecholine and Reglan, if he thinks that speeding up the emptying of the stomach can help your condition. While prokinetics are often prescribed alongside other GERD treatments, more and more experts are starting to agree that they are rarely helpful.

While it may be tempting to permanently get rid of your heartburn or GERD using any of these treatments, it is important that you ask your doctor if you really need it. Do you really need to sign up with a GERD treatment? Most importantly, does your doctor think so?

There are many reasons to treat GERD and heartburn. And good ones at that. GERD and heartburn has proven to be time and again an inconvenience to many people. When left unattended, heartburn and GERD can be debilitating.

But how will you know if you need and even qualify to any of these available GERD treatments. It is not really about severity but more of frequency. If you have been popping antacids like the manufacturer’s closing down the production later and you are still having symptoms, you may want to check with your doctor and ask for a stronger, more effective med.

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