How to Cure Chronic Heartburn

For those with chronic heartburn, just getting through the day without discomfort may mean skipping meals or living on a bland diet of boring, mild foods. Aside from being a daily annoyance and pain, chronic heartburn can lead to more dangerous ailments, including acid reflux and esophageal cancer, so it is important to get it under control as soon as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Gum
• Chewable acid relievers
• Prescription medication
• Extra pillows

Instructions

1. Chew gum after you eat. The extra saliva will help to digest your food and wash the excess stomach acid out of your esophagus.

2. Raise the head of your bed, or sleep propped up by extra pillows. Keeping your esophagus above your stomach will help keep the acid from backing up while you sleep.

3. Use over-the-counter chewable acid medications for repeated mild heartburn. If you find yourself popping heartburn chewables more than 3 times a week, talk to your doctor about prescribing a proton pump inhibitor such as Prilosec, Nexium or Prevacid.

4. Consider surgery for extreme chronic heartburn lasting more than a year. If a faulty valve is your problem, most doctors can fix this on an outpatient basis with a non-surgical procedure involving staples. A GERD procedure, where the top of the stomach is wrapped around the lower part of the esophagus, is also available but requires a few days in the hospital and at least 2 weeks' recovery.

Resources

• Natural Cures for Chronic Heartburn
• More about GERD surgery