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What Could Cause Acidity During Meals In The Food Pipe?
Question: Good morning, I have been suffering from mild acidity in my food pipe. usually noticable only during meals. Could you please suggest any medication. Regards, XXXX
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
It may be that you are having some acid reflux (gastro-esophageal reflux). This can happen for a number of reasons including when the pressure in the stomach is greater than that of the lower esophageal "sphincter" which separates the stomach from the esophagus (food pipe). It can happen when there is too much stomach acid or irritation too.
Here are some suggestions - both in terms of modifications you can make as well as medications:
- There is increased chance of reflux if the stomach is distended with a lot of food. Eating smaller amounts at a time can help.
- Avoid mint as this can relax the lower esophageal sphincter too much.
- Avoid things that can irritate the stomach lining or produce more acid. These include caffeine (cola sodas, etc), alcohol, tobacco (cigarettes), and acidic food such as citrus and tomatoes. For some people, certain spices can be a problem, but knowing which ones is usually by trial and error.
- You mention it bothers you mostly during meals, so this may not matter as much, but it's generally recommended not to lie down within 2-3 hours of eating because this can increase reflux.
- Now about medications: if the problem isn't severe, usually an H2 blocker such as ranitidine will do the job. This can be taken as needed (up to 300 mg/day) as a one time thing, or if the problem occurs on a regular basis, then use it every day for 4-6 weeks (150 mg twice a day or 300 mg at bedtime). Brand name for ranitidine in the US is Zantac. Pepcid is another H2 blocker.
I hope these recommendations help you feel better soon.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
It may be that you are having some acid reflux (gastro-esophageal reflux). This can happen for a number of reasons including when the pressure in the stomach is greater than that of the lower esophageal "sphincter" which separates the stomach from the esophagus (food pipe). It can happen when there is too much stomach acid or irritation too.
Here are some suggestions - both in terms of modifications you can make as well as medications:
- There is increased chance of reflux if the stomach is distended with a lot of food. Eating smaller amounts at a time can help.
- Avoid mint as this can relax the lower esophageal sphincter too much.
- Avoid things that can irritate the stomach lining or produce more acid. These include caffeine (cola sodas, etc), alcohol, tobacco (cigarettes), and acidic food such as citrus and tomatoes. For some people, certain spices can be a problem, but knowing which ones is usually by trial and error.
- You mention it bothers you mostly during meals, so this may not matter as much, but it's generally recommended not to lie down within 2-3 hours of eating because this can increase reflux.
- Now about medications: if the problem isn't severe, usually an H2 blocker such as ranitidine will do the job. This can be taken as needed (up to 300 mg/day) as a one time thing, or if the problem occurs on a regular basis, then use it every day for 4-6 weeks (150 mg twice a day or 300 mg at bedtime). Brand name for ranitidine in the US is Zantac. Pepcid is another H2 blocker.
I hope these recommendations help you feel better soon.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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