Control Your Symptoms
Treatment for Heartburn
For moderate and infrequent heartburn, lifestyle changes and dietary restrictions are the best heartburn treatments for patients. Avoiding certain foods that trigger acid reflux, and changing the timing and speed in which food is ingested can help treat heartburn.
For more serious symptoms, doctors can diagnose and designate a heartburn remedy suited for the individual condition. These treatments include antacids and sometimes over-the-counter medication to neutralize stomach acid.
The Heartburn Diet
More than 95% of patients know the food that triggers heartburn. An effective heartburn diet eliminates these foods and includes high-fiber, low-fat options instead.
These are a few of the best foods for the heartburn diet:
- Apples and bananas
- Baked potatoes, broccoli, carrots and green beans
- Extra-lean ground beef and skinless chicken breast
- Egg whites
- Fish
- Low-fat dairy
- Whole-grain bread and oatmeal
- Pretzels, brown rice
We encourage patients not to eat less than two hours before bedtime and to avoid carbonated beverages, alcohol and smoking.
Other Treatments
Other heartburn treatments include lifestyle changes to reduce pain. A doctor can help recommend lifestyle changes that will reduce heartburn, including:
- Sleeping on the left side with the upper body elevated
- Losing weight and wearing loose-fitting clothes
- Staying upright after eating, and waiting before exercising
- Chewing gum
Preventing Heartburn
The best heartburn cures are the same treatments to prevent heartburn. Simple dietary and lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of heartburn and acid reflux.
Physician specialists encourage patients to stick to a heartburn diet by avoiding foods that can trigger pain. Eliminate these foods from your diet to help prevent heartburn:
- Oily, fatty foods
- Fried foods
- Caffeine
- Carbonated beverages and alcohol
- Acidic fruits
- Fatty meats
- Chocolate
Other heartburn remedies and prevention techniques include lifestyle habits that can aid in reducing acid reflux:
- Avoid taking medications like aspirin. (Before changing your aspirin routine, speak with your doctor.)
- Drink plenty of water when taking medications of any type.
- Quit smoking. Avoid drinking alcohol.
- Lightly exercise five times each week to maintain a healthy weight, but avoid exercising directly after a meal.
- Sleep on your left side.