Acidity of the stomach
It is also called burning. It is an annoying feeling of burning or acidity in the middle of the chest or on the top of the stomach. This pain is worse when bending forward or lying down. The acidity of the stomach is produced when a defect occurs in the lower gastro-esophageal valve at the end of the esophagus. When a healthy person closes this muscle valve when the food enters the stomach, preventing it and the acids from reaching the esophagus. To the esophagus causing acidity. This feeling is common and need not be considered. It can be cured and disposed of with home remedies, good diet or over-the-counter medications. Gastric acidity may be accompanied by several symptoms: difficulty swallowing, chronic cough, chronic sore throat, or stomach pain. The acidity of the stomach increases in pregnant women.
Treatment of stomach acidity
The treatment of acidity of the stomach depends on the diet mainly, as there are certain types of foods should not be addressed, in contrast there are other types help to get rid of this annoying feeling. One way to treat stomach acidity is to make certain lifestyle changes along with certain medications, and surgery is rarely used as a solution. The treatment of acidity of the stomach as follows:
- Make lifestyle changes : Include many of the procedures that would reduce the acidity of the stomach or to get rid of them permanently; such as work on weight loss, and maintain the ideal weight of obesity, the effect of increasing pressure inside the stomach and thus contribute to the emergence of esophageal reflux, as well as cessation of smoking, which weakens the efficiency Lower gastroesophageal valve. The most important of these methods is to control the quality of the food, by avoiding the food or drink that are exciting for stomach acidity, such as alcoholic drinks, coffee, and fatty, fried, warm or sour foods such as orange. It is also advised to lift the head off the bed when feeling acidity of the stomach before bed.
- Use natural mixtures : There are many foods or natural products that contribute significantly to reduce the acidity of the stomach, and these mixtures include:
- Baking soda: A natural antagonist for acids because it is made up of sodium carbonate. This compound provides quick and easy relief from stomach acidity within three minutes. It is used to add a spoonful of water to a cup of water and drink the mixture, and can add drops of lemon juice to the mixture.
- Fennel seeds: These seeds are used either by chewing them several times or by making them. These seeds reduce the production of stomach acids.
- Ginger: works to reduce the amount of acids produced from the stomach, and also soothes the nerves responsible for the emergence of heartburn. It can be used either by adding it to cooked food, by chewing it raw, or by making tea from it.
- Mint: as it contributes to its palliative benefits and help digestion in the alleviation of heartburn.
- Vinegar: It works to stimulate the lower gastroesophageal valve leads to closure, thus reducing the acid returns from the stomach to the esophagus.
- Aloe vera juice: Because of its therapeutic properties in the alleviation of stomach irritation, and help to heal her stomach.
- Milk: It is more effective if the acidity of the stomach is mild or simple.
- Cabbage juice: It has many benefits in the treatment of digestive problems, including acidity of the stomach.
- Eat other plant juices to reduce the production of stomach acids such as carrots, cucumber, radish, and beet.
- Take medications : There are several types of medicines that are used to treat acidity of the stomach, and of these medicines what needs a prescription, including what is spent without. These drugs include:
- Antacids: These drugs act to balance the acidity of the stomach, thus reducing this feeling of discomfort, but in return does not contribute to the recovery of any damage to the stomach or esophagus caused by exposure to these acids, and do not prevent the feeling of stomach acidity in the future. These drugs contain chemical compounds such as: calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, magnesium triglycerides and others.
- Histamine 2 inhibitors: These drugs reduce gastric acid production by closing histamine 2 receptors, and reduce stomach acidity longer than antacids, but they need more time to start their effects. The family includes several drugs: Ranitidine, Famotidine, Cimetidine and Nizatidine.
- Proton pump inhibitors: These compounds stop the production of stomach acids, and also contribute to the healing of damage to the aftermath or the esophagus. These drugs include lansoprazole, omeprazole, and isomiprazole.
- Surgery : This option should be taken if the previous methods failed to get rid of acidity of the stomach.
Cases where you should see your doctor
It may be similar to pain in the middle of the chest with angina, especially if accompanied by a sense of other symptoms such as pain in the arms or jaw, or if the person is vulnerable to infection, so should go to the doctor immediately in this case. If the pain is due to esophageal reflux, a doctor’s review is necessary in the following cases:
- If the person senses stomach acidity twice or more during the week.
- If accompanied by difficulty swallowing.
- If symptoms of gastric acidity or heartburn persist despite the use of over-the-counter medications.
- If the patient suffers from anorexia or loss of weight.