The Different Medication Choices for Acid Reflux

Suffering from acid reflux is a problem that millions of people have to deal with, sometimes even  on a daily basis.  Getting quick and long-lasting relief is very important when it comes with acid reflux.  Knowing which acid reflux medication works bet for you is the fastest way to ridding yourself of the pain and discomfort.

There are many different type of acid reflux medications. The options available are  oral suspension medicines, antacids, h-2 receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors.  For  mild acid reflux symptoms most people grab antacids such as Tums, Rolaids and Mylanta.  This form of acid reflux medicine is available over-the-counter and provides you with quick relief.  They work by neutralizing the acid and preventing it from flowing into the esophagus. Oral suspension medicines work in a similar way but also prevent nausea vomiting and diarrhea.  Pepto Bismol is the most commonly used oral suspension medicine.

Although they are a good form of acid reflux medicine, antacids don’t help with all symptoms. They do not reduce inflammation in the esophagus and therefore do not rid you of all the discomfort.  When you have more severe symptoms or experience them often, a stronger form of acid reflux medicine is needed.  H-2 receptor blockers are a good choice.  This type of medicine, such as Zantac and  Pepcid-AC, is available over-the-counter and can be taken when needed.  They are an oral tablet that work by stopping the acid production in the stomach.  Without stomach acid, there will be no acid reflux.  The downside to taking this type of acid reflux medicine is that they take awhile to work.  They are best taken thirty minutes before eating to provide effective treatment.

If you are one of the many unfortunate people that suffer from chronic acid reflux, using the strongest form of acid reflux medicine is the way to go.  This choice is proton pump inhibitors.  Some examples of PPI’s are Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid.  These, like h-2 receptor blockers, prevent the stomach from producing acid but, PPI’s take it a step further.  They also work at fixing any esophageal damage that has occurred due to acid reflux.  PPI’s are usually  prescribed by a doctor and taken on a daily basis to prevent the acid reflux altogether.  By knowing your acid reflux medicine choices you will be able to choose the best treatment for your individual symptoms.