Introduction:
Heartburn, acid reflux, or that burning sensation in your chest are all unpleasant symptoms that can make life unbearable. It often happens when you eat spicy food or overindulge on greasy meals. While some people swear by home remedies like drinking milk or eating a spoonful of baking soda to ease the discomfort, these methods may not work for everyone.
Luckily, there are plenty of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines available on the market without requiring a prescription from a doctor. In this article, we'll go through some of the best OTC medicines for heartburn and discuss how they work to give you relief.
Causes Of Heartburn And Acid Reflux:
Before delving into which OTC medicine is best suited for heartburn and acid reflux relief let's understand what causes them:
- Fatty Foods: Consuming fatty foods like cheeseburgers with greasy fries can cause an increase in stomach activity leading to acidity that results in more frequent churning up of acids.
- Citrus Fruits And Juices: Citrus fruits and juices contain organic acids that trigger heartburn.
- Coffee And Tea: Coffee as well as tea contains caffeine which acts as an irritant so it’s advisable to stick to one cup per day.
- Alcohol and Smoking: Consuming alcohol increases gastric juice secretion making irritation worse due to its reactive properties while smoking weakens lower esophageal muscles easing out gastric juice influxes resulting in GERD.
- Chocolate & Mint Candy :Theobromine found in chocolate relaxes lower esophageal muscles causing contents flowing back resulting In six different studies it was demonstrated significantly higher Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease occurrence among those who had substantial consumption of chocolates.
If you happen to indulge yourself with these foods, then the next day you might experience heartburn. In such instances, OTC medicines come in handy.
Best OTC Medicines For Heartburn and Acid Reflux Relief:
Below are some of the commonly known best OTC medicines for heartburn relief:
1) Antacids
Antacids are one of the most popular solutions for heartburn relief. They work by neutralizing stomach acid and providing a protective barrier between your esophagus lining and acidic contents that cause irritation. This creates an alkaline environment where digestive enzymes function optimally without damaging cells within our gut - works like base reacting with acid to obviate further acidity or reflux effects.
Due to their fast-acting nature, antacids typically provide immediate relief after taking it but its duration is short-lived compared to other options available in this list.
Brands: Tums, Alka-Seltzer, Rolaids®, Pepto-Bismol®
Ingredients: Calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate
It’s worth noting that while some brands contain aluminum compounds which cause constipation when consumed excessively over time.
2) Histamine (H2) blockers
Histamine blockers target cell receptors behind gastric juice production by reducing histaminic release causing hormonal changes therefore preventing acid from building up inside the stomach which ultimately reduces oesophageal irritation/inflammation caused by excess acids produced due to stomach activity promoting digestion,
While H2's tend to take longer than antacid products they work longer so less consumption required throughout day
Brands : Zantac, Pepcid, AxidAR
Ingredients: Cimetidine/ ranitidine /famotidine/nizatidine
Tolerance development associated with long term use said disadvantages can be minimized through staying informed via consultation doctors regarding current medications being used.
3) Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)
Proton-Pump Inhibitors restrict gastric acid production by blocking the enzyme system producing acids in esophagus offering relief even to recurring heartburn with prolonged treatment duration. These are available on prescription or OTC but longer usage should only be condoned for doctor recommended periods and proper monitoring physiological tests,
Brands: Prilosec, Prevacid®, Aciphex
Ingredients: Omeprazole, lansoprazole rx,
A precautionary measure used when recommending PPI products would include highlighted risk factors: Long-term use of high dose can lead to lower magnesium absorption which leads to rare bone fracture more pronounced among men aging 50+.
4) Alginate-based remedies
Alginate based options tends to work well coupled up with Anti-acid options having a dual function that has Rennie as one of its most easily found brand name medication.
These often create foams acting as a physical barrier between stomach content making way back into oesophagus preventing pain caused by cellular reaction while simultaneously balancing out acidity levels within the stomach
Prevention Tips
- Avoid overeating large meals- choosing smaller portions with frequent snacks is preferable.
- Stay hydrated drinking waters throughout day preferably filtered quality spring water testing avoids tap Water With high Chlorine Content
- Have Tried And Trusted Sleep Schedule - Maintaing Consistent Sleeping Time every night improves metabolism regulation 4.Elevate your head bed – Having your upper body raised above feet helps reduce nocturnal reflux incidences during sleep. 5.Wear loose-fitting clothing - tight fitting clothes around abdominal region tend constriction leading upward pressure placing strain further irritating digestive tract
In conclusion, we're all different,different foods trigger some whilst others hardly feel effect from them..Identifying personal triggers/most common causes will aid restorative processes.
There's no single 'best' anti-heartburn option- consulting a physician would be the most viable way of proceeding with any course as different treatments have their unique advantages and disadvantages. While some people swear by home remedies, OTC medicines provide a maximum level of relief -negating obtrusive or critical symptoms.