Having acid indigestion problem and searching for a treatment? Well, acid indigestion or more commonly heartburn, is a very typical condition that has been affecting millions of people every day. In fact, there are more than 70 million Americans affected by acid indigestion problem and that figure continues to rise each year.
Given the staggering number of people affected by the condition, it is important that people understand the causes and concerns as well as the treatment options that are available today. As many people tend to believe that acid indigestion is a very general condition and there is nothing much to worry about, that assumption could easily be wrong.
Regular heartburn could be a sign of a greater problem to come. It could be a sign of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) where the fluids and acids from the stomach backs up into the esophagus causing discomforts and pains.
Overtime, the acids could also lead to the scarring of the esophagus tissues as well as causing cancer of the esophagus in the longer term. This condition is often made worse when one is lying down or bending instead of sitting or standing in an upright position especially right after a heavy meal.
Acid Reflux Treatment
So what are the treatment options that are available today? The most common heartburn treatment is by taking antacids – an over the counter product that many people use to get rid of heartburn symptoms.
Antacids products can be found in many forms such as tablets, liquid and even in foam. Tablets form is the most common form of antacids. Typically, antacids contain one of the many ingredients such as sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate and aluminum hydroxide which works by neutralizing the acids in the stomach. It works within minutes of taking the antacids thereby providing immediate relief to your suffering.
Also note that antacids does not cure acid indigestion in any way but it is a sort of symptom treatment. Acid indigestion treatment works by getting rid of heartburn symptoms in the esophagus. It will work almost immediately upon consuming and will continue to work for as long as the active ingredients contained are still present.
Antacids will not reduce any further accumulated acids in the stomach once its ingredients run out. Generally, a dose of antacids should bring relief for up to 3 hours after a meal. By then, the ingredients run out and the effects wear off.
Are there any health implications from taking antacids as acid indigestion treatment?
Many people have often overlooked the health implications of taking antacids. As they are many antacids products available in the market today, choosing the right one is vital not only for its effectiveness and the level of strength, but also for the sake of your health. People who are on a sodium restricted diet due to conditions such as high blood pressure should avoid taking antacids that contains sodium bicarbonate.
Look at the label for ingredients used when purchasing an antacids product. When sodium bicarbonate counteracts with the stomach acids, sodium is released as a by-product and therefore might worsen your existing conditions. Besides that, people who are suffering from kidney stones are also not recommended to take antacids that contain calcium carbonate as calcium is a primary mineral substance that causes kidney stones. Therefore, excessive calcium might aggravate the problem even more.
As a general rule of thumb, you should always follow the recommended dose labeled on the antacids product for acid indigestion treatment. Antacids are usually taken after a meal but some may require you to take it before a meal (for example omeprazole requires to be taken 1 hour before meal). Read the label carefully. It is also important to note that if you do not notice or feel much relief after taking the recommended dose, it could be a sign of more severe GERD. If that is the case, these over the counter products might not work for you. It is best that you consult your medical doctor for advice on a proper acid indigestion treatment.
Is The Problem Affecting Your Sleep?
As GERD is known to become worse when you are in a lying down position, it can affect your sleep especially when you have just had your meal.
While avoiding heavy meal right before sleep is common sense and a natural acid indigestion treatment in itself, it is in fact important for sufferers. Although it’s a great remedy, getting an acid reflux pillow can help too. It is a specially design pillow for sufferers that helps alleviate the problem during sleep. It is highly recommended for people with moderate to severe acid reflux conditions.
As the recommended slant of a typical wedge pillow researched by many medical practitioners is 7 degrees; you can find most pillow for acid reflux are designed this way with such a degree of slanting.
The objective of such a slant is to ensure that the force of gravitational pull works to prevent reflux from occurring during sleep. Acid from reflux that backs up into the esophagus can cause severe burn to the lining of the esophagus tract causing the familiar burning sensation and pain when it happens.
Not only that, the reflux can also severely interrupts one’s sleep with constant awakening during the night caused by the burning pain, or even causes other sleeping issues.
Hence, if you want a good night sleep, you should get an acid reflux pillow. It is a acid indigestion treatment that is medicine free or drug free. It’s a natural way to a healthier life. Not only that, the pillow can also work for people with other existing health conditions too such as snoring, stomach problems, as well as some heart related issues.
It is a pillow for heartburn that many practitioners and sufferers alike recommended. You can find these pillows from companies like Medslant.
Also read about what are the causes of persistent heartburn here.
Very helpful information. I never would have guessed that my heartburn could actually be considered a disease! And with so many people suffering from it in this country, I am really surprised that more people don’t already have this knowledge!