Overview
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?
We’ll go over 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.
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.ADVERTISING
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.https://8b5ef2d2b79e455426aef41f8b216ff4.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
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.
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.
The takeaway
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.
Article first appeared on Healthline
