Sunday, November 16, 2008

Top Five Acid Reflux Medications

Acid reflux is a serious disease which, luckily, can be treated by a variety of ways, including medications. There are many types of medications available which aim to lessen or stop acid reflux attacks by suppressing the production of too much acids in the body.

The most commonly known medications for acid reflux include the following:

1. Antacids. These drugs are used to neutralize the acids in the digestive tract and also for relief of mild symptoms,including occasional episodes of indigestion and heartburn. They also strengthen the defensive activities of our stomach by gathering the secretion of mucous and bicarbonate. You can buy antacids most of the time without a medical prescription. Furthermore, these drugs are one of the first to be recommended by professionals to reduce the pain caused by heartburn or mild symptoms. Antacids are basically made from magnesium, calcium, and aluminum.

2. Acid suppressants. Examples of this are histamine blockers. Histamine blockers ruin the production of stomach acids by alienating the actions of histamine. Histamine is basically a chemical in the body that promotes the production and secretion of acids in the stomach. They can be bought even without a doctor's prescription in your local drug store. Patients have to wait for 30 to 90 minutes for these drugs to fully take effect, which then lasts six to twenty-four hours. In case a person is experiencing severe symptoms, he may have to take two dosages a day. Some studies reveal that histamine blockers can improve asthmatic symptoms in those who endure from both acid reflux and asthma.

But you have to remember that, in a study dated 2001, it was indicated that histamine blockers occasionally impart complete relief of symptoms for dyspepsia and heartburn.

3. Proton pump inhibitors. They act to decrease the production of stomach acids by reacting with the cells found in the stomach wall which produce and secrete acids into the stomach. However, findings have revealed that the use of proton pump inhibitors poses some concerns. Side effects, although uncommon, include diarrhea, headache, itching, and nausea. Lastly, these drugs are not good for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers.

4. Agents shield the mucus lining in the gastrointestinal region. This kind of drug acts by attaching to an ulcer crater so that it will be protected from damage brought by digestive acids. It is advisable for people undergoing maintenance therapy with mild or moderate acid reflux conditions. But it has minor side effects, including constipation.

5. Anti-spasm drugs avoid acid and even non-acid reflux. A gamma-amino acid butyric acid agonist, an anti-spasm drug is generally used to abate the spasms in the muscles. Unlike most medicines used for acid reflux, it can also reduce non-acid refluxes and amplify the pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach and prevents backing up of stomach contents.

Would you like to know the best natural acid reflux treatment? It's the ebook "Heartburn No More" by Jeff Martin, who has found a totally holistic way of curing acid reflux. This has helped thousands of other people get rid of their acid reflux forever, and you might, too. Read my review on it on my Acid Reflux Natural Cure lens.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juana_Cruz

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