Acid Reflux Overview

Home Remedies For Acid Reflux

Home remedies for acid reflux include behavioral and dietary modifications. Most patients find symptom relief from elevating the head of their bed several inches and avoiding eating three hours before going to sleep. This can significantly reduce nighttime discomfort and morning sore throat. Patients who are overweight generally benefit significantly from weight loss. Smoking and alcohol use should be minimized or eliminated.

Keeping a food diary is a helpful method for acid reflux patients to learn their own dietary triggers for symptoms. Common dietary triggers include caffeine, carbonated drinks, fried foods, tomatoes, citrus fruit, chocolate, garlic, spicy foods, and onions. Once triggers are identified, patients can easily reduce their acid reflux by avoiding these triggers. Eating small meals throughout the day rather than three large meals can also improve regurgitation and pain linked to acid reflux.

Continue to reveal the complications linked to untreated acid reflux now.

Complications Linked To Acid Reflux

Most of the complications linked to acid reflux are related to its tendency to cause changes in the lining of the esophagus. This happens because the contents of the stomach are highly acidic. When the esophageal sphincter can't contain stomach contents, they travel up the esophagus, damaging tissue along the way. This damage causes cellular changes that can sometimes progress to Barrett's esophagus, which can be a precursor to esophageal cancer.

Sometimes with persistent acid reflux (GERD), a peptic ulcer can develop, in which the lining of the esophagus becomes eroded, causing pain and bleeding. When these ulcers heal, the resulting scar tissue can limit esophageal elasticity. This causes problems swallowing that can worsen over time. Aspiration is sometimes a risk as well, and it can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, especially in vulnerable patients such as infants and the elderly.