Acid reflux, a condition associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), causes several uncomfortable symptoms, including heartburn, hoarseness, coughing, sore throat and nausea. The condition is caused by a number of factors, ranging from pregnancy to medication to acidic foods, which prevent the esophagus from doing its job to push food down toward your stomach. See your doctor to determine if you need prescription medications. Also consider asking her about herbal remedies to ease the symptoms of acid reflux, including hoarseness and pain.
Licorice
Licorice root and licorice candy are often used as remedies for acid reflux, heartburn and hoarseness. To combat side effects from acid reflux medications, the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) suggests taking a standardized extract known as deglycyrrhizinated licorice, or DGL. This type of licorice has the natural licorice chemical known as glycyrrhizin, which is associated with side effects, removed.
Cranberry
Cranberry supplements may help prevent bacteria from growing in your digestive juices. These bacteria can exacerbate the symptoms of acid reflux. UMMC recommends two doses of 400 mg of cranberry supplement per day.
Peppermint
A traditional stomach and cough soother, peppermint works well as tea or in capsule form. It also may help the symptoms associated with acid reflux, according to UMMC. If you take peppermint as a supplement, use coated tablets to avoid exacerbating heartburn. Peppermint's soothing action also makes it useful for hoarse coughs, according to the medical center.
Slippery Elm
Slippery elm bark can help ease the symptoms of acid reflux, according to MayoClinic.com. Native Americans used the bark of the slippery elm externally and internally for sore throat, cough and heartburn. Slippery elm contains significant amounts of mucilage, which has a coating effect that can ease both hoarseness and digestive issues. Take slippery elm lozenges or drink slippery elm tea.
Marshmallow
MayoClinic.com also cites marshmallow as a potentially helpful herbal remedy for acid reflux. Like slippery elm, marshmallow---the plant once used to make the candy with the same name---contains mucilage. It treats many of the same problems that slippery elm does, including the symptoms of acid reflux. Take it in capsule form, or make a tea from the dried leaves or roots. You can find cough syrups containing marshmallow at health food stores.
Ginger Tea
For quick relief from the heartburn-like pain of acid reflux, brew some ginger tea, suggests Bill Gottlieb in "New Choices in Natural Healing." Buy ginger tea bags, or use ginger root. Use 1 ½ tsp chopped or shredded ginger root per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 minutes, then strain the ginger and drink.
Apple or Carrot Juice
Herbalist Kathi Keville recommends drinking apple or carrot juice to neutralize stomach acid, an aggravating factor of acid reflux. Drink the juices by themselves, or combine them with cooled herbal tea. Keville's "heartburn formula" combines 1 tsp each of lemon balm, chamomile and licorice root, ½ tsp slippery elm and ¼ tsp each catnip and fennel seed. Pour 1 ½ cups boiling water over the herbs, steep for 15 minutes, and strain. Combine 1 ½ cups apple or carrot juice and chill the mixture.
