GERD Remedies

GERD remedies include diet and lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery. In many cases, a combination of treatment options helps people relieve their symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The GERD remedies recommended by your doctor will depend on a number of factors, such as how severe your symptoms are, when they occur, and what you have tried in the past.

 

An Overview of GERD Remedies

Several GERD remedies are available for people suffering from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Your treatment will depend on:
 
  • How severe your symptoms are
  • When your symptoms occur
  • How much they interfere with your life
  • What you have tried in the past.
     
Specific GERD remedies include:
 
  • Medication
  • Diet and lifestyle changes
  • Surgery.
     

Diet and Lifestyle Changes as GERD Remedies

Depending on your particular situation, your GERD symptoms may improve simply by changing your diet and lifestyle.
 Many people find that there are several factors that make their symptoms worse, so it may take awhile to experiment and figure out exactly what you need to do to eliminate or reduce your symptoms.
 
For example, your doctor may suggest that you avoid certain foods that make your acid reflux worse. You might also be told to avoid eating anything close to bedtime (see GERD Diet). In some people, it helps to make lifestyle changes, such as stopping the use of tobacco products (see Smoking and GERD) or losing weight.
 
Your doctor may also suggest other lifestyle changes for your GERD treatment, including:
 
  • Reducing stress. Stress can increase both how much acid your stomach produces and the amount of time it takes to empty after eating, both of which make it more likely for reflux to happen.
  • Wearing loose-fitting clothing. Tight clothing can put pressure on your stomach and worsen symptoms of GERD.
  • Chewing gum or sucking on lozenges to increase your saliva production, which helps to neutralize acid reflux.
  • Raising the head of your bed 6 to 8 inches by putting blocks of wood under the bedposts -- just using extra pillows will not help.
     
While your doctor can give you some suggestions about what to try to relieve your symptoms, keep in mind that everyone is different. By paying close attention to your diet and activities for some time, you can try to figure out on your own which lifestyle changes might relieve your symptoms.
 
(GERD Remedies Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD