How to get rid of acid reflux

Eating your favorite food can take you on a delicious adventure. But sometimes that trip ends with an unwanted parting gift: acid reflux. Feeling acid in your throat and burning in your chest isn’t comfortable — but with a few simple changes, you can stop the burn before it starts. Here’s what to know.

What is acid reflux?

Your stomach acid is key for digesting food. And most of the time, stomach acid stays where it belongs — in your stomach. But when it travels where it shouldn’t, like up into your throat, it can cause an uncomfortable condition known as acid reflux.

“Acid reflux happens when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus, usually after eating,” says Molham Abdulsamad, MD, gastroenterologist at Geisinger. “It can lead to a bad taste in your mouth and a burning sensation in your chest.” Other symptoms of acid reflux include:

• Indigestion
• Nausea
• Sore throat
• Bloating

Symptoms can be worse after eating, while lying down or after bending over.

Acid reflux can be temporary or long-lasting. If you have long-term symptoms, you may have a condition called GERD.

Getting rid of reflux 

Want to calm the acid? Consider these tips to lessen symptoms or stop the burn entirely.

Change your diet

To reduce excess acid, start with your diet. “Foods you eat regularly can contribute to symptoms of reflux,” Dr. Abdulsamad says. To feel your best, limit or avoid:

• Caffeine, like soda or coffee
• Fatty, rich or greasy foods
• Citrus fruit
• Tomatoes and tomato products, like pasta sauce
• Alcohol
• Garlic or onions
• Spicy food

Eat slowly 

When we’re hungry, it’s easy to wolf down food quickly — and maybe mindlessly. But when you eat fast, food enters the stomach fast. As food enters your stomach, it starts to expand. “That expansion creates pressure on the valve between the stomach and the esophagus, which can cause acid to start backing up,” Dr. Abdulsamad says.

By eating more slowly, your stomach empties faster, leading to less acid flowing up into your throat.

Another tip? Chew your food thoroughly. This helps break your food down into smaller pieces and helps you produce more saliva, which aids digestion, as well as helps neutralize stomach acid.

Avoid tight clothing

Planning to wear something form-fitting? To avoid acid reflux, you might want to rethink your outfit. Wearing tight clothes puts pressure on your abdominal region. That pressure squeezes the stomach, forcing acid up into your esophagus. Fitted clothing can also limit the natural movement of food through the digestive tract. Food that can’t move through the body normally may increase pressure on the stomach, leading to reflux and abdominal pain.

To lower your risk of excess acid, consider wearing something more loose or stretchy. Or change into something comfortable when you’re done eating.

Don’t lie down after you eat

To avoid reflux, resist the urge to have a snack right before bed. In fact, don’t lie down on the couch after a snack, either. Try to stay upright for 2 to 3 hours after eating. “This helps keep stomach contents down and prevents acid from going up into your esophagus,” says Dr. Abdulsamad.

Take medicine

Another easy way to stop acid reflux in its tracks? An acid reducer. You can find a variety of over-the-counter medications to prevent reflux. Or, if you’re already dealing with symptoms, an acid reducer could help cool things down.

Other things that can help prevent acid reflux include quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and elevating the head of your bed. 

Not sure where to get started? Dr. Abdulsamad suggests starting slowly and working toward small goals. Small changes lead to big results over time. 

When to contact your healthcare provider

If your acid reflux starts to rule your life, it may be time to have a conversation. If you’ve made changes and you’re still having reflux, talk to your healthcare provider. It may also be time to have a conversation if:

• Reflux happens more than twice a week
• You feel like you have food stuck in your throat or have trouble swallowing
• You’ve had unexplained weight loss
• Eating is painful
• You have frequent nausea and vomiting

They can help you find the right treatment to manage your symptoms and help you say goodbye to reflux for good.

See also:

Learn about gastroenterology at Geisinger
What’s a low FODMAP diet?
Constipated? Here’s how to get moving again