How to get rid of heartburn and possible causes

Heartburn is a symptom that feels like a burning in your chest, and is a symptom of acid reflux (GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease). If you experience heartburn, you know the feeling well: a slight hiccup, followed by a burning sensation in your chest and throat.

It may be triggered by the foods you eat, particularly spicy, fatty, or acidic foods. Or perhaps you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a chronic condition with many potential causes.

Whatever the cause, heartburn is uncomfortable and inconvenient. What can you do when heartburn strikes?

Do most people get heartburn?

Heartburn is more common during pregnancy. Most people get heartburn after meals, but can also awaken people while they are sleeping. People also may experience heartburn after eating specific foods or drinking certain beverages.

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What can heartburn be a sign or symptom of?

Symptoms of acid reflux that may accompany heartburn include:

difficulty swallowing,
chronic cough,
stomach pain or burning in the upper abdomen,
persistent sore throat,
regurgitation of foods or liquids with a taste of acid in the throat, and
persistent hoarseness or laryngitis.

How can you tell if you are having a heart attack or heartburn?

If you think that you are having a heart attack, call 911 immediately to save your life.
A heart attack and heartburn can have the same symptoms, for example, be the same, for example, heartburn is a symptom of another disease or condition, for example, chest pain, shortness of breath, and nausea and vomiting.
Heart attack signs and symptoms that are not the same as in heartburn include, for example, dizziness, toothache, and headache while heartburn symptoms include problems swallowing, persistant sore throat, hoarseness, laryngitis or reflux laryngitis.

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Some quick tips to get rid of heartburn, including:

wearing loose clothing
standing up straight
elevating your upper body
mixing baking soda with water
trying ginger
taking licorice supplements
sipping apple cider vinegar
chewing gum to help dilute acid
staying away from cigarette smoke
trying over-the-counter medications

Loosen clothing

Heartburn happens when the contents of your stomach rise up into your esophagus, where stomach acids can burn the tissue.

In some cases, you might be having an episode of heartburn because tight clothing is compressing your stomach.

If that’s the case, the first thing to do is loosen your belt or your pants, dress, or whatever else is holding you tight.

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Stand up straight

Your posture can also contribute to heartburn. If you’re sitting or lying down, try standing up. If you’re already standing, try standing up more straightly.

An upright posture puts less pressure on your lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Your LES is a ring of muscle that helps stop stomach acid from rising into your esophagus.

Elevate your upper body

Lying down can make heartburn worse. When it comes time for bed, adjust your sleeping surface to raise your upper body.

According to the Mayo Clinic, lifting your head with extra pillows isn’t usually enough. Instead, the goal is to elevate your body from the waist up.

If you have an adjustable bed, set it at a suitable angle to provide relief. If your bed isn’t adjustable, you can change the angle of your sleeping surface by using a wedge pillow.

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Mix baking soda with water

You might have a heartburn remedy at hand in your kitchen without even knowing it. Baking soda can calm some episodes of heartburn by neutralizing your stomach acid.

To do this, dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and drink it slowly. In fact, you should drink everything slowly when you have heartburn.

Try ginger

Ginger has been used as a folk remedy for heartburn for centuries. Ginger can help relieveTrusted Source nausea, so some believe it may be worth trying for heartburn, too.

Consider adding grated or diced ginger root to your favorite stir-fry recipes, soups, and other foods. To make ginger tea, steep raw ginger root, dried ginger root, or ginger tea bags in boiling water.

It’s probably best to avoid ginger ale, though. Carbonated beverages are a common heartburn trigger, and most brands of ginger ale are made with artificial flavoring rather than the real thing.

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Take licorice supplements

Licorice root is another folk remedy that’s been used to treat heartburn. It’s believed that it might help increase the mucous coating of your esophageal lining, which may protect your esophagus from damage caused by stomach acid.

Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is a supplement that contains licorice that’s been processed to remove much of its glycyrrhizin, a compound that can cause adverse side effects.

Eating too much licorice or DGL mayTrusted Source raise your blood pressure, lower your potassium levels, and interfere with certain medications. Always talk to your doctor before taking licorice or DGL supplements.

Sip apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another home remedy that some people use to treat heartburn, believing that it may neutralize stomach acid.

One researcher suggested that drinking diluted apple cider vinegar after a meal may help alleviate heartburn for some people. However, these effects didn’t reach the level of statistical significance so more research is needed.

If you decide to try this remedy, dilute the apple cider vinegar with water and drink it after your meal.

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Chew gum

According to 2014 researchTrusted Source, chewing gum for half an hour after meals may also help reduce heartburn.

Chewing gum stimulates saliva production and swallowing. This might help dilute and clear stomach acid from your esophagus.

Avoid cigarette smoke

You probably already know that smoking is bad for your health. But did you know that smoking can contribute to heartburn? If you’re a smoker and you get an attack of heartburn, don’t light up.

Smoking might be a go-to coping strategy when you’re uncomfortable, but it’s not going to make that burning feeling go away.

Take over-the-counter heartburn medication

There are plenty of over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn medications that are available for use. These medicines come in three classes:

antacids
H2 blockers
proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

PPIs and H2 blockers reduce how much acid your stomach secretes, which can help prevent and reduce heartburn symptoms. Antacids neutralize stomach acid.

What natural home remedies relive and cure heartburn?

Heartburn can be treated with lifestyle changes and medications (over-the-counter and prescription). In rare cases, surgical procedures are available to help with severe and chronic heartburn (GERD).

What over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medicine cures heartburn?

There are many over-the-counter and prescription medications available. These fall into three major categories:

Medications that neutralize stomach acid (antacids): Antacids (Mylanta, Maalox, Rolaids, Tums) provide quick relieve because they decrease the acid. These medications don't heal existing damage to your esophagus nor prevent future episodes of heartburn.
Medications that reduce the production of acid: These medications are named after the receptor they block (H-2 blockers) and are available as over-the-counter as well as prescription medications. Their symptom relief tends to last longer than antacids, but it also takes longer for them to start working. They are available as several brands and formulations (ranitidine [Zantac], nizatidine [Axid], cimetidine [Tagamet], famotidine [Pepcid]). Depending on the strength they are available over-the-counter and by prescription.
Medications that block acid production: Proton pump inhibitors (for example, omeprazole [Prilosec], lansoprazole [Prevacid]) block the production of acid. This then allows healing of the damaged esophagus.

Note: You should make your health-care professional aware if you take these medications on a chronic basis as there can be interactions with other medications and frequent use will alert your doctor to the severity of symptoms.

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How can you prevent heartburn?

The first step, as it is so often, is basic lifestyle changes. Stop smoking, lose weight, and watch what you eat (sounds familiar?).

If these interventions do not fully alleviate heartburn symptoms, then the addition of medications that decrease heartburn or prevent it all together, under the guidance of your health-care professional, should allow you to control heartburn.

Bottom Line:

When heartburn hits, many over-the-counter treatments, home remedies, and lifestyle adjustments may provide relief.

Adjusting your daily habits can also help prevent heartburn symptoms from developing in the first place. For example, try to:

avoid common heartburn triggers, such as fatty and spicy foods.
eat at least three hours before bedtime.
avoid lying down after eating.
maintain a healthy weight.

If you experience heartburn more than two or three times a week, talk to your doctor. In some cases, they might prescribe medications or other treatments.