Excess acid is not a serious medical condition but, if you get it regularly, you'll know how it can easily interrupt your day - or disturb your night's sleep. And you're not alone - nearly 8 million* adults in the UK regularly suffer from these symptoms.
In this section we'll explain exactly what excess acid is and why it happens; we'll also suggest ways of treating it and explain how you can try and avoid it altogether. Simply click on the links on the left.
* Ipsos RSL indigestion consumer omnibus April 2001 (monthly + suffering)
After you've eaten, your chewed-up food will pass into your stomach. It will stay here while it's being digested, thanks to rings of muscle at the top and bottom of your stomach which open and close to let food in and out. Glands in your stomach then secrete gastric juices to help turn your food into a liquid, before it continues its journey into your intestines. These juices are in fact a powerful acid - strong enough to melt even razor blades. When you produce excess acid, it can cause a sharp or sore pain in your stomach (known as 'acid indigestion' or 'sour stomach'). If excess acid gets into your gullet it can cause a burning sensation (known as 'acid reflux' or 'heartburn').
Your digestive system is a highly-tuned piece of precision machinery and it does a brilliant job for you - day in, day out. But when you think of how we live and what we eat, it's not surprising that something as sensitive as our digestive system can sometimes get a bit out of kilter. So, although excess acid can be painful, it's actually quite a common part of everyday life.
Excess acid is not pleasant - especially if you suffer regularly. But if you can understand what might be causing it, then you might be able to say ‘goodbye' to it once and for all. There are a number of reasons why you might produce too much stomach acid - and why it can sometimes escape into your oesophagus:
- your stomach can't cope with what you've just eaten. Certain foods are harder to digest than others and so they trigger more acid production to help break it down. Exactly what these ‘trigger' foods are will vary from person to person but generally rich, fatty or spicy meals are more likely to cause an attack.
- the muscle ring at the top of your stomach doesn't close properly which causes acid to rise up to your oesophagus. Reasons for this could include stress, smoking, excess coffee or alcohol - because all these will impair the way your stomach works.
- something is pressing on your stomach which physically pushes some of your stomach contents - including the acid - back up. This is a common problem if you are pregnant or overweight. It can also be caused by wearing tight clothing, or if you're sitting in an awkward position while eating, or lie down too soon after a meal - all can put undue pressure on your stomach.
- sometimes other medication can cause excess acid symptoms (for example, 'non steroidal anti-flammatory' drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.) If you think this may be the cause of your symptoms, stop taking all medication and seek the advice of a pharmacist or doctor. They will be able to suggest an alternative medicine.
Most of us lead hectic lifestyles and it's not always easy to change our eating and drinking habits. But if you want to take control of excess acid, here are a few tips on how to avoid quite so many attacks:
How to avoid attacks of excess acid
- avoid eating the trigger foods that you know will give you a problem. If you can't pinpoint which foods might be causing it, keep a note of what you've eaten and then try to cut them out, one by one. It can often be a case of trial and error for a while
- try to cut down on both alcohol and coffee, as too much of either can affect the way your stomach operates. If your stomach is functioning properly it won't allow any acid to pass backwards up into your gullet
- smoking can also impair the function of your stomach, so try and reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke. Or better still, give up altogether
- try to eat little and often, as large meals - especially eaten late at night just before bedtime - can often make excess acid worse
- if you tend to suffer more at night, raise yourself up on a couple of pillows to help keep the acid down in your stomach.
- if you are overweight you might find that excess fat is pressing on your stomach which can physically push your stomach contents into your oesophagus, leading to excess acid. You'll probably find that losing a few pounds will help
- don't wear tight clothing after a big meal because this will put pressure on your stomach and have the same effect as if you were overweight
- try and eat more slowly, as rushing your food could bring on an attack
- stress can aggravate excess acid, so try and learn some relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation.
Excess acid is uncommon in children - if your child suffers then it is best to seek further advice from your pharmacist or doctor.
Taking an over the counter remedy is usually sufficient to treat excess acid but, if you have any of the symptoms listed below, it could be a sign that you have some other medical condition. So do seek your doctor's advice if:
- you have lost weight without trying to
- you are over 45 and experience symptoms for the first time
- your symptoms have changed recently
- you have difficulty swallowing
- you have persistent stomach pains which aren't relieved by treatment
- you have any other illness, are seeing a doctor regularly or taking any other medication such as a painkiller called a 'non-steroidal anti-inflammatory' (for example aspirin or ibuprofen). They could be the cause of your indigestion and you should not treat such side effects yourself. This advice is even more important if you are elderly
If you are pregnant or breast feeding, there are remedies available to treat excess acid but, as with any medication, check with your midwife, doctor or pharmacist first.
If you're a regular sufferer, then excess acid is probably just part of your everyday life, don't feel you have to keep on suffering. Luckily, there are three types of treatment you can buy that can effectively reduce symptoms:
1. Antacids
These are usually liquids or chewable tablets which are designed to neutralise the acid in your stomach and to ‘mop up' any excess acid
2. Rafting agents
These are usually liquids that once in the stomach, form a ‘raft' by sitting on top of the acid and so preventing it from escaping into the oesophagus. Rafting agents can sometimes be referred to by their technical name - alginates.
3. Acid balancers
These are tablets that control the amount of acid your stomach produces and bring it back to your normal level. They are also long-lasting, so can help you stay symptom-free for up to 12 hours. Because of the way in which they work they can be taken to prevent the problem from happening in the first place. So, if you know you're going to eat or drink something that triggers the problem, taking an acid balancer can help prevent an attack from happening at all.
There are many natural remedies thought to aid digestion but the scientific evidence for their effectiveness is unclear. If you want to try a natural alternative, consult a homeopath or a natural remedy retailer for further advice.
It is very common for indigestion to be triggered by certain types of foods, and most sufferers particularly if they suffer frequently are able to easily identify which foods will cause excess acid symptoms. In addition to trigger foods, other causes such as: overeating, smoking or drinking coffee or alcohol can also cause indigestion symptoms. The symptoms associated with food allergies can be more varied i.e nausea or vomiting,
diarrhoea or even rashes. If you are concerned then you should ask your doctor for further advice, and if necessary they will be able to carry out specific allergy tests.
Whilst it is quite common for more than one person to suffer within a family there is no evidence to imply that indigestion suffering is hereditary.
The symptoms of an ulcer can be similar to typical 'everyday' indigestion, but usually they are more severe and they can be distinct in several ways. For example the pain tends to occur when you are hungry or before your meal, and can usually be 'pinpointed' to one spot within the stomach and is a continuous gnawing pain. It is also often much worse at night. If you are concerned that your symptoms might be an ulcer seek further advice from your GP, who will be able to provide a proper investigation, which is the only way to be sure.
Antacids work very quickly to relieve symptoms but they usually only have a short duration of effect. If you need symptom relief for longer opt for an acid-balancer to provide a longer duration of symptom relief. Acid-balancers can provide relief for up to 12 hours. If you want the best of both worlds then you can take an antacid and acid-balancer together so that you get fast and long lasting symptom relief.
Privacy Policy
Print this page
Email to a friend