Reflux or acid reflux, medically known as gastroesphageal reflux (GER), is the occurrence of acid back-flowing from the stomach into the esophagus. During an episode of acid reflux, you may feel a burning sensation in the chest or taste sour liquid or digested food in the back of your throat. Acid reflux occurs when the esophageal sphincter, the ring of muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach, doesn't close properly or opens spontaneously. Acid reflux is very common, but when it occurs more than twice a week, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease. This can lead to more serious complications.
Antacids
Stomach acid, as its name suggests, is extremely acidic--with a pH of between 2 and 3 (7 is completely neutral). It's acidic because it contains loose hydrogen atoms that aid in the digestion of food. Antacids are drugs available over-the-counter that act to neutralize acid in the stomach. As a first line of defense against acid reflux, they are very effective in treating mild and occasional GER.
The active ingredient in antacids is either carbonate (in the form of bicarbonate) that readily binds with hydrogen and produces carbon dioxide, or hydroxide that readily binds to hydrogen resulting in water. These active ingredients can't work on their own and must be bound to a chemical helper--in this case one of four salts: sodium, aluminum, magnesium or calcium.
Sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, is a best-selling antacid but can cause trouble for those on a low-salt diet. Calcium carbonate and aluminum carbonate drugs work quickly to neutralize acid but can cause constipation if used too frequently. Magnesium may be paired with either carbonate or hydroxide, but because magnesium can cause diarrhea they are often combined with either calcium or aluminum to counteract that effect.
H2 Receptor Blockers
Acid is produced by the parietal cells in the lining of the stomach. These cells produce acid when triggered by a chemical in the body known as histamine2. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including ranitidine, famotidine, cimetidine and nizatidine, work by blocking histamine2 from signaling the parietal cells to produce acid, therefore resulting in a decrease in acid. These medications take longer to work than antacids, according to Consumer Reports Health, but are effective for up to 12 hours.
Proton Pump Inhibitors
The medications known as proton pump inhibitors--including raberprazole, dexlansoprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole and pantoprazole-- reduce stomach acid by shutting down the proton pump, a specific molecule found in cells in the stomach lining. The proton pump is responsible for replacing non-acidic potassium with acidic hydrogen, so by shutting down the pumps the amount of acid is reduced. These medications take longer to work, so they don't provide immediate relief of acid reflux. But they can keep acid down for up to 24 hours, as reported by Consumer Reports Health.
