You can often relieve mild heartburn at home. Heartburn is a common sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in which stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus.
The way you lie down to sleep can lead to heartburn. Research has found that lying on your right side increases nighttime and after-meal acid reflux. Consider trying to sleep on your left side as much as possible.
Try elevating the head of your bed with blocks or using a bed wedge to elevate your upper torso. This remedy has been found to be effective for nighttime GERD symptoms.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications can help relieve heartburn because they:
- Block fluid flow
- Decrease stomach fluids
- Make stomach acid less acidic
A common medication for this is Pepcid AC (famotidine). Its effectiveness may wane because people develop a tolerance to the drug.
“What I suggest to my patients is that they take an [OTC] H2 blocker when they have their breakthrough symptoms. That seems to give them better control,” Joel Richter, MD, director of the Joy McCann Culverhouse Swallowing Center at the University of South Florida, told Health.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are medications that help your stomach produce less acid. However, they are not always fully effective, and up to 40% of people may have breakthrough symptoms occasionally.
“Typically, the [PPIs] are given 30-60 minutes before breakfast,” David Johnson, MD, a professor of medicine and the chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, told Health.
Some people do better breaking up doses throughout the day to stave off nighttime symptoms. A doctor can help you figure out how and when to take PPIs.
Knowing what triggers heartburn can help you reduce how severe it is.
Heartburn is usually caused by:
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Peppermint
- Spicy, greasy, or acidic foods
- Tomato products
If you are unsure what causes your heartburn, keep a food diary to track what you eat and your symptoms. This can help identify patterns and triggers.
A 2016 study found that people with GERD more commonly had acid reflux if they lay down after a late meal for longer than those who ate earlier meals. Eating a meal within a few hours of bedtime or right before you plan to go to sleep may lead to heartburn.
Eat meals earlier in the day rather than right before bedtime. Waiting at least three hours after eating before lying down is a helpful guideline.
Eating before exercise can also worsen GERD symptoms. Give yourself some time between eating and physical activity.
Food goes from your throat to your stomach by way of your esophagus when you swallow it. Acid can move back through the opening to your stomach if it does not close after the food has passed through.
Acid may rise up your esophagus into your throat, a condition known as acid reflux. One of the main symptoms of GERD is chronic acid reflux. Acid reflux may cause a burning sensation, or heartburn. You can also have GERD without heartburn.
Talk with a doctor if you make changes and still have heartburn. Let them know if you use OTC medications frequently, such as two times or more weekly.
See a doctor if you have symptoms like:
- Coughing or wheezing
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
- Heartburn that persists after you try home remedies or worsens with medications
- Unintentional weight loss
Get medical care right away if you have severe symptoms. These include black or maroon stool and vomit that’s bloody or looks like coffee grounds. Burning, crushing chest pain may be a sign of a heart attack.
