# acid reflux **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 12, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053 "2003-10-12T22:11:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/1 "2003-10-12T22:11:52Z")
For only a few months now, I have been getting a reflux when eating. usually when I am leaned forward. neve rhave before. What is acid reflux? What could i take for it? My son gets it too! ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/2 "2003-10-12T22:29:11Z")
If that is the same as acid indigestion/“heartburn”, then one household remedy is sodium bicarbaonate in a glass of water. OTC remedies, in the U.K., anway, include Rennies, \*Settlers[i/] and a whole lot of “store’s own brand” versions. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/3 "2003-10-12T23:42:56Z")
Why **vanilla** I would have expected you to know by now! The cure is, of course, essential oils: > **[Pharmacokinetics of menthol and carvone after administration of an enteric...](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11455677/?dopt=Abstract)** > > Enteric coating of peppermint oil/caraway oil capsules avoids subjective discomfort to the patient caused by gastroesophageal reflux. In order to confirm bioequivalence of an enteric coated formulation containing peppermint oil and caraway oil (CAS... 😉 No, I’m really just kidding there. I’m curious, did you and your son both start getting it at the same time? If so, you may want to figure out if you both have recently begun ingesting something that you weren’t before you got symptoms. It’s probably a good idea to see a doctor because there are different causes and the longer you have symptoms, the greater the risk you will continue to have symptoms (the acid will damage the esophogeal sphincter). There are anti-acids like Maalox that neutralize stomach acid so it doesn’t burn. There are a couple different classes of drugs that inhibit stomach acid secretion (One is otc and is well known as Tagamet, Zantac, or Pepcid). Those are typically first line treatments. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/4 "2003-10-13T01:18:26Z")
Vanilla, I’m not convinced that what you describe is acid reflux. Does this happen WHILE you are eating or after? ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/5 "2003-10-13T01:24:55Z")
Acid reflux, if persistent, is caused by GERD, allowing acid to back up into the esophagus. > **[WebMD - Better information. Better health.](https://www.webmd.com?z=1728_00000_1000_pk_10)** > > The leading source for trustworthy and timely health and medical news and information. Providing credible health information, supportive community, and educational services by blending award-winning expertise in content, community services, expert... ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/6 "2003-10-13T01:57:12Z")
My son got it first. Sometimes while eating, sometimes not. I am making an appointment. Kid C-funny! ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/7 "2003-10-13T02:32:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Khadaji \* > \*\*Vanilla, I’m not convinced that what you describe is acid reflux. Does this happen WHILE you are eating or after? \*\* IANAD and certainly wouldn’t go so far to say I’m convinced, but if anything sounds like a classic case of reflux this has got to be it. It’s evident that your doubt stems from the distinction of having the symptoms during vs. after eating. What makes you think there is a difference? The act of swallowing is what relaxes the esophageal sphincter in the first place so a reflux is probably more likely to happen when eating. The contents of the stomach may not be as acidic during eating as compared with after eating but acidic or not, it’s still a reflux. The acid is just what does the damage and causes the burn. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Zahn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@John\_Zahn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Zahn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/8 "2003-10-13T02:40:14Z")
I’ve got it myself, and have to take Prevacid. I’m in the 10-20% group that doesn’t get heartburn though. My stomach creates lots of acid. It’s not a pretty sight, if I’m not on the med’s. I doubt you have it, but a gastro specialist can run the tests to find out for sure. Mine didn’t start until about age 32. If you’re refluxing a couple of times a week, you’d better get checked out. If left untreated, it often can lead to stomach cancer. JZ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/9 "2003-10-13T03:01:43Z")
There is **not** enough info here to make a diagnosis. **Vanilla** is making an appointment, hopefully with her doctor. That is the appropriate course. [heartburn](http://familydoctor.org/healthfacts/087/) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/10 "2003-10-13T03:02:45Z")
BTW **JohnZahn** , if left untreated, it can on occasion lead to esophageal cancer. Not often, and not stomach cancer. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/11 "2003-10-13T06:17:20Z")
I’ve searched and searched the web for this one - and yes I will ask my doctor (again) once I can get an appointment with him! My question is, what can one take to alleviate the symptoms once it actually starts happening? I get it less now but previously I invariably got it at night, leading to much pacing around and loss of sleep. I tried all the various ant-acids (Tums, Gaviscon, Sodium Bicarbonate) - nothing seems to have any effect; it is very different from normal heart-burn (which Tums take care of almost instantaneously for me.) I know this is one of those cases where prevention is better than cure (“don’t eat spicy foods before bedtime”, “avoid coffee” etc.) - and everything I’ve found on the web focuses on prevention - but what can I do when it’s actually happening? ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/12 "2003-10-13T06:25:08Z")
**DarrenS** , IANAD, but I do have acid reflux. I have found that outside of drugs, the things that work for me (for some reason) are either eating peppermints or better, drinking milk. I don’t know why but they seem to help. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/13 "2003-10-13T14:31:19Z")
IANAD, but I’ve had mild reflux for a while. It started to get worse, I was taking generic Tagamet (Cimetidine) and it helped a lot with heartburn, but I could tell I wasn’t getting better. Then I got on Prilosec and it changed my life. Now I have no heartburn or reflux and can eat foods that I enjoy that used to be sure-fire triggers of all sorts of nastiness. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/14 "2003-10-13T15:18:29Z")
Baking soda works wonders for on-the-spot relief. Mix a quarter or a half teaspoon in a half cup of water and drink it down fast. You may feel the need to belch afterwards due to the (in my case) very large amount of gassy byproduct generated from mixing sodium bicarbonate with stomach acid. But Oh, what a relief it is. I advise drinking it fast because it tasts like Satan’s Semen, and may test your gag reflex. It does such a wonderful job of putting out the fire in the middle of the night, though. Try not to rely on it too much, because it’s high in sodium. > **[AstraZeneca - Research-Based BioPharmaceutical Company](https://www.astrazeneca.com/)** > > AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical business and our innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/15 "2003-10-13T15:21:21Z")
There is no heartburn or anything like that. Just out of the blue, the stuff comes upward. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/16 "2003-10-14T04:22:23Z")
Isn’t Baking Soda essentially the same thing as sodium bicarbonate? In any case, neither has worked for me ☹ Like **vanilla** says - no precursor heartburn - it just wells up through the esophagal sphincter ( where’s the ‘barf’ smiley? ) The first time it happened I was about to go to the emergency room - chest pain on left side, some numbness in the arm - heart attack…my doctor later diagnosed it as GERD. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Zahn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@John\_Zahn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Zahn)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/17 "2003-10-14T12:52:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\*BTW **JohnZahn** , if left untreated, it can on occasion lead to esophageal cancer. Not often, and not stomach cancer. \*\* Yep, I agree, sometimes I don’t separate the two when I should, even though I was thinking esophagus, I incorrectly linked the two together. Gotta stop doing that, I know better. Stomach cancer in America is [very rare.](http://www231.pair.com/grpulse/bt/andist.html) Thanks for the correction, JZ ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/18 "2003-10-14T13:02:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DarrenS \* > \*\* Like **vanilla** says - no precursor heartburn - it just wells up through the esophagal sphincter ( where’s the ‘barf’ smiley? ) . \*\* Just burns at the back of your throat, right? I wonder why that is, though, and it doesn’t burn on the way up, too. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acid-reflux/207053/19 "2003-10-14T13:55:49Z")
I’ve been treated for GERD for almost 20 years, and I only get spontaneous reflux at night, while asleep; I’ve never had it during the day without obvious dietary causes. Also I worked for a gastroenterologist for several years, designing his slide presentations. I did a very long one on GERD, and updated it frequently. The info in that presentation and my own experience tells me, vanilla, that you’re right to go to a doctor and not just start trying home remedies. It’s easily treatable, so no need for anxiety; it just causes heartburn.