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Heartburn is a chronic condition which can lead to a great deal of discomfort for the sufferer. There are many ways in which the levels of pain or the symptoms can be lessened. These treatments can improve the sufferer’s quality of life and do not require a great deal of effort, particularly in relation to eating habits and changes in lifestyle.
Tips to relief Heartburn
1. Firstly, the reason acid reflux can be more severe at night is due to the sleeping position. When we lie down horizontally, gravity cannot help to pull the reflux out of the oesophagus. As such, the pain persists much longer.
A good way to help alleviate some of the pain, and effects of heartburn is to ensure that when you sleep, you sleep in a slightly elevated position to allow the reflux to flow more easily from the oesophagus back to the stomach. This will not only help relief the pain but will also help minimise the damage of the acid reflux in your oesophagus while you sleep.
The most effective way to achieve this is to prop the bed up with some books or breeze block to ensure your head is higher than your feet. It has also been proven that if patients sleep on their left side, reflux is less prominent than when they sleep on their right side. So do try this tip when you sleep tonight.
2. Some foods and drinks result in weaker Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) muscles. This can lead to increases in acid reflux. Such foods and drinks should be reduced or avoided altogether. They include chocolate, alcohol, spicy or acidic foods and citrus juices. In general, the reduction of fatty foods in the diet and the cessation of smoking will aid the sufferer and go some way to reducing their acid complaint.
3. Another way to treat the effects of heartburn is by the consumption of prescribed antacids which neutralise the acidic element of the stomach. This greatly reduces the amount of acid produced in the stomach, which is higher in heartburn patients than in unaffected people. By neutralising the stomach acid, it reduces the painful sensations associated with heartburn.
Although effective in neutralising the acid for a short period of time, antacids are required in frequent dosages to maintain effect. As a result a number of additional treatments have been developed. They are known primarily as histamine antagonists. They work by blocking the acid producing agents within the stomach which are more active in heartburn sufferers.
There are also pro-motility drugs available which work on the pressure within the LES to help strengthen the muscular contractions.
Conclusion
There are a wide variety of treatments available to help curb the symptoms of heartburn. Your doctor will be able to suggest the best treatment for you and will be able to prescribe the appropriate treatment to reduce your pain and treat your symptoms of heartburn effectively.
By: Leanne Bargatze
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