(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Acid reflux or Heartburn is a very common digestive disease. This happens when stomach acid movesup into the esophagus – the tube that carries food and drinks from the mouth to the stomach. Acid reflux can be mild totally harmless in some people usually causing no symptoms.

However, when reflux happens frequently, it burns the inside of the esophagus leading to the medical condition known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Severeheartburn, sore throats, hoarse throats, pain, and inflammation are the common symptoms of GERD.

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What Causes Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux happens as a result of an abnormality in the upper part of the stomach and lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Normally, the LES would prevent the acid in the stomach from moving up into the esophagus. Reflux of acid begins to happen when the barrier between the stomach and the esophagus becomes impaired.

Under this condition, the acid and food in the stomach to flow back into the esophagus. Too much acid in the stomach and delayed stomach emptying of the stomach are other conditions that acid reflux. Other conditions that cause acid reflux are;

Lying down immediately after a meal
Obesity – caused by excess fat or the weight around the stomach
Smoking
Certain alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks
Pregnancy – this is recorded in some women
Certain blood medications, aspirin, muscle relaxers e.t.c
Eating snacks close to bedtime (especially those with high salt content)
Problem foods – certain foods are known to trigger acid reflux, examples are as citrus, tomato, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, or spicy or fatty foods. Knowing the foods that trigger your reflux is a great way of managing it.

If not treated over time, the reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus through the lower esophageal sphincter can result in a more serious condition including throat cancer. So, what are medications currently being used to treat acid reflux?

Medications Used to Treat Acid Reflux

Through the years, scientist, researchers, and pharmacists alike have dedicated their time to studying acid reflux. The result, there are currently over a hundred different medications used for this medical condition. These medications can be narrowed down into groups.

Antacids

Antacids are common medications that neutralize stomach acid.These drugs contain ingredients such as aluminum, calcium, magnesium, or sodium bicarbonate which act as bases (alkalis) to counteract stomach acid and make its pH more neutral. Antacids are usually available as a liquid, chewable gummy or tablet, or tablet that you dissolve in water to drink.

Antacids are the quickest medications to get relieved from acid reflux, however, they won’t last very long. These drugs, however, only relieve symptoms, and cannot heal inflamed esophagus caused by stomach acid. Alka-Seltzer, Milk of Magnesia, Mylanta, Rolaids, and Tums, are the common antacids you will find over the counter.

H-2 Receptors Inhibitors

H-2 Receptors are membrane proteins which stimulatethe production of gastric or stomach acid. The H-2 Receptors Inhibitors? Well, they are a group of drugs that stop H-2 Receptors from doing their jobs. Examples of these drugs are;

Cimetidine (Tagamet and Tagamet-HB)
Famotidine (Pepcid as a prescription, Pepcid-AC as an OTC medication)
Nizatidine (Axid and Axid AR)
Ranitidine (Zantac and Zantac 75)

H2 receptor blockers do not act as quickly as antacids do, however, they are known to provide longer relief and may decrease acid production from the stomach for up to 12 hours. These type of drugs can be gotten over the counter, but stronger versions are available only on prescription.

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI)

These are drugs that reduce the production of acid in the stomach and heal the esophagus.Proton pumps line the cells of the stomach and are responsible for producing the acid in the stomach. By inhibiting these proton pumps, Omeprazole reduces the amount of acid produced in the stomach.

By reducing the amount of acid in the stomach PPIs help in relieving indigestion symptoms caused by excess stomach acid. There are a number of drugs that belong to this group. The most common PPI are omeprazole (available as branded Prilosec, Zegerid, Losec)

Proton pump inhibitors are a lot stronger acid blockers than H-2-receptor blockers and antacids. Taking Omeprazole over a long period of time will allow for damaged esophageal tissue to heal.

There a number of other potent medications used to treat acid reflux. Some come in form of chewable tablets, liquid suspensions. Drugs are usually advised to be used after a change in lifestyle has attempted.

Lifestyle and Dieting

While this might not be a ‘medication’ doctors prescribe diet and lifestyle changes as treatment for acid reflux. Most conditions of acid reflux result from unhealthy lifestyles. If this is the case, don’t be surprised to get a diet treatment.

Some researchers in the field of GERD believe that dietary factors are a major underlying cause of acid reflux. While this may not have been substantially proven by research results, studies show that simple dietary and lifestyle changes can significantly ease heartburn and other acid reflux symptoms.

Incorporating lots of vegetables, ginger, oatmeal, and non-citrus fruits into your diet will reduce the symptoms of your acid reflux. Some of these lifestyle changes include stopping smoking, reducing one’s intake of food, not lying down after eating, not eating snacks before bedtime, avoid soft drinks and beverages that trigger acid reflux, and eating flood slowly and thoroughly.

The Last Option – Surgery!

In extremely severe cases of heartburns, where other medications cannot help, doctors would recommend surgery for treating acid reflux diseases. It is important to know that if not treated over a long period of usage, acid reflux drugs can lead to esophageal cancer.Fundoplication and LINX are the devices used in the surgical method of treating severe conditions of acid reflux.

The severity of acid reflux varies from individual to individual. The severity of your condition will determine the medication you get. There would be absolutely no need for surgery if an over the counter drug, prescription drug, or tweaking some of your habits can solve your reflux.