"Natural
GERD Remedies That Are Commonly Subscribed By Your Doctor"
Lifestyle
Changes, OTC Drugs And Even
Dangerous, Expensive Surgery
GERD
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How Is GERD Treated?
If you have had acid reflux or any of
the other symptoms for a while, you should see your doctor. You may
want to visit an internist, a doctor who specializes in internal
medicine, or a gastroenterologist, a doctor who treats diseases of the
stomach and intestines.
Depending on how severe your GERD is,
treatment may involve one or more of the following lifestyle changes:
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If you smoke, stop.
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Do not drink alcohol.
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Lose weight if needed.
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Eat small meals.
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Wear loose-fitting clothes.
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Avoid lying down for 3 hours after
a meal.
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Raise the head of your bed 6 to 8
inches by putting blocks of wood under the bedposts—just
using extra pillows will not help.
Other GERD remedies include OTC
medicines, prescriptions or even surgery.
Your doctor may recommend
over-the-counter antacids, which you can buy
without a prescription, or medications that stop acid
production or help the
muscles that empty your stomach.
Antacids, such as Alka-Seltzer,
Maalox, Mylanta, Pepto-Bismol, Rolaids, and Riopan,
These types of treatments are usually
the first drugs recommended to relieve heartburn and other mild GERD
symptoms. Many brands on the market use different
combinations of three
basic salts—magnesium, calcium, and aluminum—with
hydroxide or bicarbonate ions to neutralize the acid in your stomach.
Antacids, however, have side effects. Magnesium salt can lead to
diarrhea, and aluminum salts can cause constipation. Aluminum and
magnesium salts are often combined in a single product to balance these
effects.
Calcium carbonate antacids, such as
Tums, Titralac, and Alka-2, can also be a supplemental source of
calcium. They can cause constipation as
well.
Foaming agents, such as Gaviscon, work
by covering your stomach contents with foam to prevent reflux. These
drugs may help those who have no damage to the esophagus.
H2 blockers, such as cimetidine
(Tagamet HB), famotidine (Pepcid AC), nizatidine (Axid AR), and
ranitidine (Tagamet 75), impede acid production. They are available in
prescription strength and over the counter. These drugs provide
short-term relief, but over-the-counter H2 blockers should not be used
for more than a few weeks at a time. They are effective for about half
of those who have GERD symptoms. Many people benefit
from taking H2 blockers at bedtime in combination with a proton pump
inhibitor.
Proton pump inhibitors include
omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), pantoprazole
(Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex), and esomeprazole (Nexium), which are
all available by prescription. Proton pump inhibitors are more
effective than H2 blockers and can relieve symptoms in almost everyone
who has GERD.
Another group of drugs, prokinetics,
helps strengthen the sphincter and makes the stomach empty faster. This
group includes bethanechol (Urecholine) and metoclopramide (Reglan).
Metoclopramide also improves muscle action in the digestive tract, but
these drugs have frequent side effects that limit their usefulness.
Because drugs work in different ways,
combinations of drugs may help control symptoms. People who get
heartburn after eating may take both antacids and H2 blockers. The
antacids work first to neutralize the acid in the stomach, while the H2
blockers act on acid production. By
the time the antacid stops working, the H2 blocker will have stopped
acid
production. Your doctor is the best source of information on how to use
medications for GERD. Your doctor will also be able to inform you have
some Naural
GERD remedies that you can try...
OR, better yet click here for
a complete
guide to Natural GERD Remedies.
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