In healthy people, the acid remains in the stomach with the help of the diaphragm. A hiatal hernia causes the condition of acid reflux or acidity. During an acid reflux, the acid can move up to the esophagus.

The factors that can cause acid reflux are pregnancy, sleeping directly after eating a meal, eating spicy food, drinking coffee or soda and obesity. This can lead to symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, an acidic taste in the mouth and a few other symptoms. In some cases, acidity can be a symptom of a serious condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease. In rare cases, this condition might even require surgery. However like in most cases of acid reflux, it can be treated with medicines and dietary changes as well as lifestyle changes.

In general acidity or acid reflux can be treated with the help of medication along with alterations in your diet and lifestyle. A general physician may recommend treatment with the help of antacids. These antacids neutralize the effect of the acid in the stomach. But if antacids are taken in excess they can cause side effects such as constipation or even diarrhea. In case if the symptoms turn severe then there are H2 blocker medicines that can help treat acid reflux. They help heal the esophagus and inhibit the production of acid in the stomach.

The best method to treat acidity is with changes in diet and lifestyle. Most cases of acidity are treated using these methods along with medications.

There are various medicines that are available for the treatment of acidity. The doctor will prescribe medication on the basis of the severity of the acid reflux condition. Antacids like Gelusil, Alka-Seltzers, Rantac and Zantac are prescribed to treat acidity. This medication should be taken according to the doctor’s prescription for around 2 to 4 weeks. Different types of medication like antacids or even H2 receptor blockers such as famotidine and ranitidine work efficiently in treating acid reflux.

In rare cases when medications do not have much effect, a surgery called Fundoplication is used to treat acid reflux. General anesthesia will be administered before the fundoplication surgery begins so that the patient is unconscious during the surgery. The surgeon will then make an incision in the chest or the abdomen and insert a small tube through the abdomen. He/she will then make an artificial valve using the top part of the stomach. The procedure will help fix a hiatal hernia and prevent the occurrence of acid reflux in the future.

You are eligible for this treatment:

• If you experience symptoms like a bloated stomach, indigestion and an acidic taste in the mouth require medications and treatment for acidity.
• If you lose weight rapidly along with experience other symptoms of acidity then you should seek acid reflux treatment.
• If you notice symptoms like heartburn, vomiting, nausea and acidic burping, then you will need acid reflux treatment.
• If these symptoms of acidity are not treated with medications within a week or two, then the doctor might recommend a fundoplication surgery for acid reflux.

Most people who experience acid reflux are eligible for this treatment with medications. The doctor might not recommend treatment in the following cases:

• If the symptoms of acid reflux occur only once in a week and do not persist.
• If the acidity condition improves with dietary and lifestyle changes. There is no need for further treatment.
• If the medications like antacids and H2 Blockers do not work, then this form of treatment might not be effective. The doctor might then suggest surgery.
• Patients sometimes are at a high risk of complications from surgery. The doctor might not recommend surgery if the patient suffers from; heart conditions, asthma, osteoporosis or laryngitis.

There are certain side effects of the medications as well as the surgery used in the treatment of acidity. The side effects include:

• One side effect from acidity medications is malnutrition caused by mal-absorption of nutrients.
• Medicines for acidity can also lead to certain deficiencies like vitamin B-12 deficiency and even makes one prone to bone fractures.
• Over-consumption of antacids can lead to side effects such as diarrhea or even constipation.
• A side effect from this surgery could also be dysphagia, damage to the stomach and other organs or pneumonia. Patients who also suffer from asthma or osteoporosis can get worse instead of improving.

It is advisable to make certain alterations in your lifestyle in order to treat and prevent the condition of acid reflux. The following are the steps you should take after post acid reflux treatment:

• Take the medication in a timely manner according to the guidelines provided by your doctor.
• You should avoid smoking. Wait two to three hours before lying down or sleeping after eating a meal. Instead of eating three big meals in a day, eat 5 or 6 smaller meals.
• It is important to exercise and stay fit. If acidity is caused by obesity, it is advisable to lose weight.
• The foods that you should eliminate from your diet after an acidity attack are a soda, coffee, alcohol, oily or spicy food and acidic food.

In a fundoplication surgery, the tube inserted during surgery will be removed a week later. The patient will be discharged a few days after the surgery. Recovery from the procedure might require three to four weeks.

With a course of antacids, the treatment should take effect in two to three weeks.