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Jan 28, 2024

15 GERD home remedies: Diet, herbs, posture, and more

Ways of relieving the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include

Ways of relieving the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include avoiding food triggers, changes to dietary habits, sleeping with the head raised and using supplements, such as ginger.

To help a person manage the often painful and uncomfortable symptoms of GERD, doctors may recommend home remedies. These can include avoiding food triggers, eating smaller meals, and having dinner early in the evening.

If symptoms persist, doctors may also recommend medical treatment, such as surgery or certain medications.

Keep reading to learn about 15 home remedies, medical treatment, and what can happen if a person does not seek treatment.

Certain foods and beverages may trigger symptoms. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) state that common food triggers for GERD include:

Learn more about foods to include and avoid with GERD here.

In addition to the foods people eat, the way in which they eat may also make a difference. The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) recommend the following eating habits:

Large meals empty slowly from the stomach. This puts more pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter and can aggravate symptoms.

Therefore, to prevent the onset of symptoms, a person can eat smaller meals more frequently rather than bigger meals less often.

Even having a small snack before bed can cause symptoms such as acid reflux to flare up overnight. This is partly due to the change in posture that occurs while the body is still trying to digest.

To avoid this, a person could have their main meal at lunchtime and enjoy a lighter meal at dinnertime.

A person can also try having dinner early rather than right before bedtime. This way, the body has more time to digest the food.

To aid digestion, a person should make sure they are eating meals in as relaxed an environment as possible.

Any extra stress could cause the muscles to tense up, which in turn could aggravate GERD symptoms.

A person should also avoid exerting themselves during meals. This includes tending to children or making frequent trips to the kitchen while eating.

A person's posture and the activities they engage in after a meal may affect digestion.

The IFFGD offer the following suggestions to alleviate symptoms of GERD:

Gravity helps control reflux, so maintaining an upright posture for several hours following a meal can help prevent heartburn.

Therefore, a person should also avoid taking naps after lunch.

If symptoms tend to occur when a person is asleep, they should try to change their sleeping position so that their esophagus is above the stomach.

For example, a person could insert a wedge under the head of their bed to elevate it. This allows for their esophagus to be higher than their legs.

A person should not engage in any physical activity after a meal. This could cause the abdominal muscles to contract, which can force food back up into the esophagus and cause heartburn.

In particular, a person should avoid tasks that involve bending over, such as cleaning the floor and lifting objects.

According to a 2016 study, there are links between smoking and symptoms of GERD.

In the study, the researchers examined the effect that quitting smoking had on people with GERD who were already smokers. They found it significantly reduced symptoms.

Their findings led them to conclude that doctors should recommend quitting smoking to individuals who smoke and have GERD.

Learn 11 tips on quitting smoking here.

One 2014 review indicates that GERD is becoming more and more prevalent in the United States. The major factor underlying the trend is the rise in obesity.

While studies have not established that weight loss through dietary changes can help GERD, data show weight loss through gastric bypass surgery consistently decreases symptoms.

Scientific research has suggested supplements may help a person ease the symptoms of GERD.

A 2014 review explored the effect of ginger supplements on children with GERD and found that they helped reduce symptoms.

The children tolerated the supplements well and only showed side effects when the doses were larger than 5 grams per day.

However, doctors do not recommend ginger for people who have a bleeding disorder, as it is a potent blood thinner.

Moreover, individuals taking ginger supplements should discontinue them before having a surgical procedure.

According to the same 2014 review, people have used licorice for a long time to alleviate symptoms of gastric inflammation. It has shown improvements in small studies whose participants had GERD.

However, licorice has some properties that can cause side effects, such as high blood pressure. Therefore, a person should opt for deglycyrrhizinated licorice, which will not produce these effects.

While the researchers in the study acknowledge the potential benefits of licorice, they also call for more evidence to back up claims that it can help ease symptoms of acid reflux.

The American Gastroenterological Association note that pressure on the belly may worsen reflux.

One way a person can prevent putting too much pressure on the belly is by not wearing tight clothing. This can include tight everyday clothes and clothing items designed to shape the body.

Also, avoid some exercises that may increase belly pressure, such as:

A 2020 review investigated the effect of breathing exercises on people with GERD and found that they reduced symptoms.

Breathing exercises also decreased the need for taking acid-suppressing medications and improved quality of life.

According to the study, individuals with the condition who take drug therapy may get more relief if they combine the therapy with professional breathing exercises.

One example of a breathing exercise that can help ease symptoms of GERD is so-called belly breathing. A person can practice this when sitting, standing, or lying down, by following these steps:

Medical treatment for GERD consists of medications and surgery.

The NIDDK list the following medication options for GERD:

Surgery is an option if lifestyle changes and medications do not decrease GERD symptoms. The NIDDK state that doctors may advise one of the following procedures:

The NIDDK note that the following factors can increase a person's likelihood of developing GERD:

Without treatment, GERD can lead to serious complications. According to the NIDDK, these can include:

Aside from issues in the esophagus, GERD can cause complications in other parts of the body. The complications include:

A person with GERD can try several home remedies to manage symptoms. These include eating smaller meals and avoiding eating before going to bed.

A person interested in GERD home remedies may wish to try ginger supplements. However, they should seek guidance from their doctor first.

Lifestyle changes may also help. These include quitting smoking, reaching or maintaining a moderate weight, and staying in an upright position after meals.

When home remedies and lifestyle changes do not relieve symptoms, doctors may prescribe medications or recommend surgery.