5 Tips to Control Acid Reflux Symptoms

When you have a burning feeling in your stomach, a hoarse voice, and a cough that won’t go away, it might not be a virus. Instead, you could be experiencing a common gastrointestinal condition called acid reflux.

Chronic acid reflux can lead to health complications. However, with assistance from gastrointestinal specialist Jean Welsh, MD, at Primary & Alternative Medical Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, you can manage the condition and ease your discomfort with healthy lifestyle choices. 

Following these five tips helps reduce acid reflux symptoms.

What is acid reflux?

Normally, when your stomach digests food, it continues downward toward your intestines. However, when this process goes wrong, some stomach acids travel up into your esophagus. 

An acid reflux episode starts soon after eating and can cause: 

• Burning in your mouth and stomach
• Sour taste in your mouth
• Sore throat
• Laryngitis
• Lump in the back of the throat

Acid reflux can be an occasional or regular occurrence. If it happens multiple times a week, it means you might have a condition called GERD. When untreated, it can lead to more serious complications.

Managing acid reflux symptoms

If your symptoms happen regularly, they are often disruptive and unpleasant. Fortunately, making these changes to your routine can reduce or eliminate acid reflux.

1. Be mindful of your diet

Some foods and drinks aggravate your stomach and increase your likelihood of acid reflux attacks. Avoid or consume less of the following to lower your risk:

• Carbonated beverages
• Spicy foods
• Fatty foods
• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Mint
• Onions

Eating food slowly and carefully also reduces stress on your stomach, making reflex less likely. Take small bites and chew food thoroughly before swallowing.

2. Change your sleep routine

Use gravity to help digest your food by standing or sitting after you eat. Wait at least three hours after a meal before going to bed, taking a nap, or lying down.

Use a foam wedge at bedtime or reposition your mattress and pillow to sleep slightly on an incline. That makes it harder for your stomach to push acid up. Falling asleep on your left side also helps with reflux symptoms.

3. Attain or maintain a healthy weight

Weight challenges put more fat in your abdominal area, which places stress on your stomach. This increases your likelihood of experiencing an acid reflux attack.

If you’re overweight, losing weight with an acid reflux-friendly diet and physical activity plan helps your stomach and esophagus function properly. Our team can help you develop a safe weight loss plan.

4. Wear comfortable clothing

Tight clothing increases abdominal pressure, which can cause acid reflux. Avoid tight waistbands, and choose clothes that leave plenty of space for comfort and movement around the waist.

5. Take medication

Combined with lifestyle changes, over-the-counter medication can help relieve acid reflux symptoms. Over-the-counter antacid tablets neutralize stomach acids, while histamine blockers help your stomach produce less acid.

Our team can also prescribe stronger medications when you need additional relief.

Chronic acid reflux can make you miserable. Fortunately, you can find relief and prevent more serious problems with just a few simple steps. For support controlling acid reflux or other GI symptoms, contact our team.