It pushes stomach juices into your esophagus, resulting in the symptoms of acid reflux. Fitted pants with a tight belt, tight-fitting waistbands, and form-fit leggings or pantyhose can make heartburn worse. Choose more comfortable clothing items that fit loosely and reduce pressure on your stomach.
Lying down after a meal can put pressure on your stomach, causing the flow of acid reflux back up into your esophagus. Go for a walk or sit upright after meals and wait hours before lying down for sleep. When you fill your stomach up to the brim, the valve between your stomach and esophagus esophageal sphincter relaxes, allowing stomach acid back into the esophagus. Eat small meals, but more frequently. Let go of this idea of three large meals per day. Have your last mini meal a few hours before bedtime, too, to avoid lying down too soon and triggering GERD symptoms.
Alcohol is a major trigger for acid reflux, especially if you tend to overindulge. Alcohol relaxes you, including your esophageal sphincter, so stomach acid can creep back into your esophagus. However, certain types might make your GERD symptoms worse. The following fruits and veggies commonly lead to reflux:. If in doubt, discuss your tolerance level with a doctor.
If you have access, a dietitian may assist you in creating a pattern of eating that can help manage your condition. With or without caffeine, coffee might promote reflux symptoms. However, some people with GERD tolerate coffee well. Learn which foods can help you manage acid reflux. Making adjustments to your diet and eating habits can help you reduce your acid reflux symptoms and your need for antacids.
Antacids are intended as a short-term solution to a long-term concern. They quickly neutralize stomach acids for the prevention of pain associated with acid reflux, but they will not heal or treat the inflamed esophagus. Antacid overuse may also cause hypercalcemia , or too much calcium in your blood, which can affect many organ systems.
In addition, magnesium or aluminum buildup can potentially be a concern for those with kidney disease. Eating smaller portions and trying to stay in an upright position after meals may help.
Try to avoid high fat foods, spicy foods, and certain fruits, vegetables, and beverages if they trigger symptoms. If this happens, talk with your doctor. This can allow stomach acid and juices, the chemicals that break down food in the stomach, to back up reflux into the esophagus, which causes heartburn.
Because the nicotine in tobacco is addicting, stopping the use of tobacco is more difficult than simply changing a habit. Those who successfully quit using tobacco usually use a combination of strategies that may include:. Using more than one of these strategies greatly improves your chances of successfully quitting. Quitting tobacco use may require several attempts. For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
Developing healthier eating habits, losing weight if necessary, and avoiding foods that increase symptoms of GERD may make heartburn less likely to occur. Take your spouse or partner along with you when you go to your doctor to discuss diet habits. It will be easier to make changes in your diet if your family understands what you need to do and why. Changes you may want to make include avoiding chocolate, peppermint, and alcohol. These can all make GERD worse by relaxing the valve between the esophagus and the stomach.
It also may be a good idea to eat smaller, more frequent meals. If you are overweight, lose weight. Being overweight puts additional pressure on your stomach and increases the likelihood of heartburn occurring. Losing just 5 to 10 pounds can help. Certain foods can be associated with reflux. Though they will not cause GERD, eating these foods can make the symptoms worse, and avoiding them can help reduce heartburn.
Seek immediate medical care if you have chest pain, especially if you also have shortness of breath, or jaw or arm pain. These may be signs and symptoms of a heart attack. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Subscribe for free and receive your in-depth guide to digestive health, plus the latest on health innovations and news.
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You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. When you swallow, a circular band of muscle around the bottom of your esophagus lower esophageal sphincter relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow into your stomach.
Then the sphincter closes again. If the sphincter relaxes abnormally or weakens, stomach acid can flow back up into your esophagus. This constant backwash of acid irritates the lining of your esophagus, often causing it to become inflamed. Conditions that can increase your risk of GERD include:. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
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