Contents
Prevention Tips
- Avoid eating fatty and spicy foods
- Elevate the head of your bed 6-8 inches to prevent the backflow of gastric juices
- Avoid large meals eat smaller meals
- Eat 3 hrs before going to bed and avoid bed time snacks
- Wear looser clothing. Tight clothing can promote reflux of acid contents
- Patients who have trouble swallowing should avoid tough meats, vegetables with skins, doughy bread, and pasta.
- Avoid or reduce consumption of foods and beverages that contain caffeine, chocolate, peppermint, spearmint, and alcohol.
- When going to bed, try lying on the left side rather than the right side
- After meals, take a walk
- People who are overweight should try to diet and exercise to lose weight.
- If drugs you are taking seem to be the cause of your heartburn, talk with your doctor about them.
- Eat less spicy food, less tomato, less chilly, less masala, loose weight, avoid tea, coffee, chocolates, alcohol, smoking.
- Drink lot of water
Watch Out
- Extreme stomach pain
- Pain when swallowing
When to See Doctor
- Severe chest pain
- Nausea and vomiting ( if you are vomiting blood or black material)
- Diarrhea or black or bloody bowel movements
- If your symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks of home treatment, are different or are getting worse, or are interfering with normal activities.
- You are having difficulty swallowing or pain when swallowing
- Your heartburn is causing you to have nausea or vomiting (blood in vomit)
- You have experienced a drastic weight loss
- You have chronic hoarseness or wheezing, or your asthma has worsened
- You are having chest pain accompanied by pain in the neck, jaw, arms, or legs; shortness of breath, weakness, irregular pulse, or sweating
- You have extreme stomach pain
- You are experiencing diarrhea or black or bloody bowel movement