Eradicate heartburn forever!

Eradicate heartburn forever!

It's not as easy as drowning in a fire, but it is possible.

For most people, heartburn is due to a combination of factors, many of which are under your direct control. The key to eliminating heartburn for good is to change as many of these factors as possible.

A person interested in finding a permanent cure for heartburn is likely to deal with the problem on a regular basis. The following tips address true gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). There are other causes of chest discomfort that sometimes mimic GERD, including heart disease, stomach ulcers, stomach cancer, costochondritis, and even asthma. If you experience regular chest discomfort, contact your doctor to make sure your diagnosis is correct.

As for GERD, factors that contribute to symptomatic heartburn include smoking, being overweight, lying down after eating, taking certain medications, overeating, exercising after eating, drinking alcohol, and eating certain foods. Some of these may take months to resolve. Others could be changed overnight.

Many patients do not realize that tobacco use, whether in the form of smoking or chewing, worsens heartburn. Quitting is the best option, but even reducing can make a difference. It may also depend on when you drink: a cigarette after lunch may not be enough to cause symptoms. Half a dozen after a dinner of tacos and beer can do the trick. I have had patients whose heartburn has completely disappeared just because I stopped smoking.

Stopping certain medications is another possible way to eliminate heartburn overnight. The most common culprit is anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and various prescription medications. Even Celebrex, the Cox-2 inhibitor least likely to cause stomach irritation, sometimes contributes to acid reflux symptoms. On the other hand, some patients who experience stomach upset from ibuprofen find that their reflux improves when their doctor switches them to Celebrex. Many patients also don't know that Tylenol is different from aspirin or ibuprofen. Tylenol easily relieves mild to moderate pain and does not contribute to acid reflux.

Changing your diet is another way to eradicate heartburn. Avoid spicy foods, onions, citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, tangerines), coffee (both regular and non-coffee), soda, mint, fatty foods, chocolate, and the most common culprit: tomato-based products. It is possible to live without pizza, tacos, spaghetti, French fries and greasy hamburgers. The pioneers did it – you can too.

All forms of alcohol are potential stomach irritants and should be avoided, although sometimes this is a matter of quantity. A small glass of wine after dinner may not cause symptoms, whereas a six-pack of beer during a smoky game of poker may cause you to.

Reflux is also a matter of gravity and pressure. Whenever there is greater pressure on the abdomen, it is easier for acid to be pushed up into the esophagus. Overeating is like overfilling a water balloon - the contents are under pressure and will spill up much more easily than from a half-filled balloon or stomach. Excess weight when pressing on the stomach does almost the same thing as a tight belt. Bending over or exercising hard, especially after eating, causes the same problem. If pregnancy is the problem, birth is the answer.

Gravity works in your favor as long as you stand upright. However, lying down after a meal can cause stomach contents to flow up. Some patients do well to raise the head of the bed. This works best by elevating the entire head of the bed and not just using additional pillows, which may cause your stomach to compress, increasing pressure. Losing weight will help over time, but eating less will help now.

Changing these behaviors is the first step to eliminating heartburn forever. If these suggestions are ineffective, it's time to discuss medications with your doctor.

Copyright 2010 Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

Inspired by Cynthia Koelker