How to prevent stomach acid reflux

If you have stomach reflux more than twice a week, you may have a gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In addition to regular heartburn, symptoms of GERD include difficulty swallowing, coughing or wheezing, chest pain.

Risk of disease

Anyone can have stomach reflux and frequent heartburn. You may experience symptoms after eating too quickly, consuming a lot of spicy or fat foods.

However, you are more likely to develop stomach acid reflux if you are overweight, pregnant, diabetic or smoking regularly.

Lifestyle changes

Changing some lifestyle habits also helps prevent heartburn and acid reflux.(Photo: bacsidaday.com).

You can prevent occasional reflux by changing some habits and lifestyles.

1. Avoid lying after eating for 3 hours.
2. Divide the daily menu of small meals to eat instead of just eating 3 main meals.
3. Wear loose clothing to avoid pressure on the abdomen.
4. Do not diet or consume too much food.
5. Quit smoking.
6. Raise the headboard.
7. Limiting certain foods can cause acid reflux and heartburn such as fatty foods or fried foods, wine, coffee, carbonated drinks, chocolate, garlic, onions, citrus fruits, mint , tomato sauce.

In addition, you can also use medication intervention to relieve the discomfort of acid reflux, doctor's heartburn.

Proton pump inhibitors

Proton pump inhibitors are the most effective treatment for patients with chronic stomach acid reflux. This is considered the safest plan today. They reduce the production of stomach acid. Unlike some other medicines, you only need to do them once a day to prevent symptoms.

However, in the long run this drug can deplete vitamin B12 in the body. In addition, stomach acid is one of the body's defenses against infection. Therefore, reducing this acid may increase the risk of infection and fracture. In particular, gastric reflux also increases the risk of hip, spinal and wrist fractures. The cost of this treatment is also quite expensive (about $ 100 / month).

Surgery

Surgery is the best way to completely treat gastroesophageal reflux. In particular, Nissen-bottomed surgery is a treatment that is highly effective. This procedure creates a new "functional valve" between the esophagus and the stomach and prevents acid reflux from the stomach into the esophagus. You will need to stay in the hospital for 1-3 days after the surgery.