What should you know about medicine for severe heartburn?

Heartburn is a burning discomfort behind the breastbone caused by stomach contents irritating the food pipe. Acid reflux is a common explanation, but gastritis, a peptic ulcer, or a hiatus hernia can produce overlapping upper abdominal or chest symptoms. Body weight, meals, medicines, and lying down can influence reflux symptoms.

Antacids act on acid already present and may be useful for occasional symptoms. Alginates create a barrier at the top of the stomach. Acid-reducing medicines last longer and are often used in a planned course. A pharmacist or clinician can help select an option when you take several medicines or have kidney disease, pregnancy, or another long-term condition.

Use the product exactly as directed and check whether it must be separated from other medicines. Keep a note of triggers such as large meals, late eating, alcohol, caffeine, or particular foods. Stay upright after meals and consider raising the head end of the bed if symptoms occur at night. Avoid stopping a prescribed course early without advice.

A treatment labelled for reflux may ease heartburn, but it does not establish the cause. If symptoms recur after treatment, a clinician may review your medicines, examine you, and consider tests for reflux or another digestive problem.

Call emergency services for new chest pressure or tightness with breathlessness, sweating, nausea, faintness, or pain moving to the arm, back, or jaw. Seek prompt care for black stools, blood in vomit, persistent vomiting, difficulty swallowing, food sticking, severe pain, or unexplained weight loss. Arrange an appointment when heartburn is frequent, wakes you, or continues despite appropriate use of non-prescription treatment.

Ask whether your symptoms fit reflux, which medicine group is appropriate, how long it should be used, and whether you need assessment for an ulcer or hiatus hernia. Tell the clinician about swallowing difficulty, night symptoms, pregnancy, and every medicine or supplement you use.