How to Treat Acid Reflux Disease With Medical Therapy

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By Rockney
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Acid reflux disease or GERD is a painful disease. It makes you feel like your heart is burning inside. Many people confuse it with heart attack or pericarditis which is inflammation of the heart's upper layer. If the symptoms are mild, it can be treated with simple home remedies. Simply, reducing the amount of acid in your stomach will work. For this purpose a drink of water, milk or any alkaline solution will work. Eating high fiber meals is also helpful in alleviating your symptoms as it does not induce your stomach cells to release acid as frequently as the more heavier food like sugar or fat does.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Over the counter medications like anti-acids with calcium (Tums) is a good start for the medical therapy if your acid reflux persists after the home remedies. These are bicarbonate based calcium tablets which neutralize your stomach acid.
Step 2

If anti-acid tablets don't work well you can try over the counter medication Ranitidine (Zantac). If the low dose does not work you should take the highest recommended does. Do not exceed the maximum dose allowed per day without consulting a doctor first. All the medications have side effects. Ranitidine blocks the Histamine H2 receptors in your body. An overdose might result in severe side effects in certain people.
Step 3

Another good drug for curing acid reflux disease is Omeprazole (Prilosec). It is the Hydrogen pump blocker and considered stronger than Ranitidine. Like its other counterparts it also has certain side effects and must be taken as directed on the package label. If any unwanted side effects appear a doctor should be consulted right away. It is possible that you might be allergic to some content of the drug.
Step 4

If Omeprazole does not work you can try its S-enantiomer which is structurally a different form of Omeprazole known as Esomeprazole (Nexium). Beware of the side effects as always. This is a prescription drug as it is considered stronger than over the counter Omeprazole. You definitely have to consult your doctor before you take this medication.
Step 5

If everything else fails, and you are still suffering from the gastroesophageal reflux disease syndrome, surgery could be the only option you might have for the cure. Consult a gastroenterologist surgeon for a lower esophageal sphincter surgery (Laparoscopy).