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What is acid reflux?
Acid reflux is a condition where stomach acid travels up the tube that connects your stomach to your throat. It happens when the muscle at the bottom of the pipe is too loose, allowing acid to escape the stomach. When acid reflux is severe or frequent, it is known as gastro-oesophogeal reflux disease (GORD).
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptom of acid reflux is a burning sensation in the chest or throat. This is commonly referred to as heartburn. Other symptoms include an unpleasant taste, a lasting cough, hiccups, and bad breath.
When should I get professional help?
If heartburn and acid reflux is more that just an occasional experience, and home remedies aren’t enough for lasting comfort, you could benefit from prescription treatment and expert care from our doctors.
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) can cause uncomfortable symptoms that get in the way of your daily life. Acid reflux treatments can help alleviate these so you can get back to feeling your best.
Heartburn
A burning sensation in your chest caused by stomach acid flowing back up into your oesophagus. Acid reflux treatments can help reduce acid production, relieving the burning sensation and discomfort.
An acidic or sour taste
Stomach acid reaching your mouth can leave an unpleasant sour or acidic taste. Treatment can help reduce acid reflux, making this taste less frequent.
Burping or regurgitation
Acid reflux can cause stomach contents to travel back up into your throat or mouth, sometimes alongside frequent burping. Treatment can help reduce reflux episodes and the discomfort they cause.
Indigestion (dyspepsia)
Acid reflux can contribute to upper abdominal discomfort, bloating and a feeling of fullness after eating. Treatment can help ease acid-related discomfort and make meals more comfortable.
Throat irritation
When stomach acid reaches your throat, it can cause soreness, irritation, coughing or a hoarse voice. By reducing acid production, treatment can help relieve irritation and help your throat recover.
The most common prescription treatments for acid reflux are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
While they contain different active ingredients, all PPIs listed here work in the same way to help you manage your acid reflux.
Note: Decisions about treatment are for both the prescriber and the person to jointly consider during the consultation. However, the final decision will always be the prescriber’s.
In a study on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), up to 85% of people who took an acid reflux treatment daily felt complete relief from symptoms like heartburn and indigestion. Here’s how PPIs work to alleviate your discomfort.
Proton pump inhibitors block an enzyme in the stomach responsible for producing stomach acid.
With less stomach acid produced, less is able to travel up the food pipe. This can help alleviate symptoms like heartburn.
Your doctor may prescribe a course lasting anywhere from a few weeks up to several months depending on your symptoms.
Here’s a timeline of what to expect from acid reflux treatment:
You might feel some relief from acid reflux within 24 hours, but it can take a little longer for the full effects to be felt.
A few days in, you should notice less heartburn, fewer episodes of acid reflux, and reduced discomfort after meals.
If prescribed by your doctor, PPIs can help keep your heartburn under control for several months.
There are many ways to manage acid reflux. Lifestyle changes can help reduce your symptoms alongside treatment and promote overall health.
However, they won’t always provide the relief you need. When lifestyle changes aren’t enough to effectively manage your acid reflux, prescription treatments can be.
May help reduce triggers
Helpful for managing symptoms, but results can vary.
Target acid reflux symptoms
Offer targeted relief, with a personalised treatment plan to suit your needs.
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Needing a prescription for my Acid Reflux and not being in the country I normally get my prescription they asked me questions and after answering them I was more than pleased to be able to carry on my medication. Very pleased with this company and highly recommend!
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Health Express was recommended by my daughter who is a NHS specialist. I ordered a medication that I was told by my local pharmacist was fully out of stock & no date to restock was available. I found the application to order my medication very easy & found it reassuring I was checked out by a professional before it was issued. The promise of next day delivery was kept & thankfully I was able to take the medication extremely quickly. Many thanks I would certainly recommend Health Express.
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Start with a quick eligibility check.
You may qualify for acid reflux treatment if:
Fill in a short medical form so our doctors can check if the treatment is right and safe for you.
Choose a treatment from the options our doctor recommends. If approved, your prescription will be issued and sent to our pharmacy.
We’ll dispatch your treatment in discreet packaging with free next-day delivery.
Acid reflux happens when the muscle at the bottom of your oesophagus, the lower oesophageal sphincter, is too weak. This allows stomach acid to travel up your oesophagus and to your throat.
There are many possible causes of this, the most common of which are obesity, pregnancy, smoking, certain medications, or a hernia. Common triggers include large, fatty meals, eating right before you go to bed, and certain foods and drinks, like alcohol and chocolate.
Acid reflux is a temporary event where stomach acid escapes the stomach and into the oesophagus. GORD stands for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, and is a chronic condition that causes acid reflux.
So while GORD causes acid reflux, not all cases of acid reflux are caused by GORD. The occasional acid reflux is normal, and can be caused by lifestyle factors. GORD, on the other hand, is a chronic, long-term condition that is commonly managed with prescription treatments like proton pump inhibitors.
The most common symptoms of acid reflux include:
You may experience just some of these symptoms, or you may experience all of them. If your symptoms are difficult to manage, you may benefit from a consultation with one of our doctors.
No, prescription acid reflux treatments will not cure your acid reflux for good. While they reduce the amount of stomach acid, they won’t fix the underlying problem causing your lower oesophageal sphincter to be weak or loose. Depending on your symptoms and personal health profile, you can take proton pump inhibitors for a few weeks up to several months. But once you stop, your symptoms may come back.
If you have GERD and it is difficult to manage with prescription medication alone, surgical procedures can sometimes fix the problem at the source. Speak with your GP if you think this is something you might benefit from.
How long your acid reflux treatment is prescribed for depends on your symptoms and individual health profile. Ultimately, it is up to your doctor to decide an appropriate length of treatment.
Usually, a course of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) lasts from a few weeks to a few months. Taking them for longer than that increases the risk of side effects.
Yes, acid reflux treatments can make you sick as a side effect, especially proton pump inhibitors. These treatments do list nausea and vomiting as common side effects, meaning they can affect up to 1 in 10 people.
However, just because you experience side effects from one acid reflux treatment doesn’t mean you will experience side effects from all of them. If the one you’re on makes you sick, speak with your doctor about trying another one instead. They can guide you on how to switch safely.
Yes, acid reflux treatments (proton pump inhibitors) can affect digestion. This can lead to side effects like diarrhoea, stomach pain, constipation, and excessive wind.
However, while proton pump inhibitors reduce the amount of stomach acid you produce, they don’t stop it completely. This should leave you with enough for healthy digestion. If you are experiencing digestive issues during treatment, try and eat smaller, lighter meals and avoid alcohol.
There are several ways to relieve acid reflux symptoms naturally, without relying on medication. Drinking water may help clear acid from your oesophagus, while chewing sugar-free gum can stimulate saliva production, helping neutralise stomach acid, according to this study.
You can also try standing upright and loosening tight clothing around your stomach to reduce pressure on your abdomen. If you're experiencing acid reflux at night, raising the head of your bed may help relieve symptoms while you sleep.
However, these methods may only provide temporary relief and won't treat the underlying cause of persistent acid reflux. If you experience frequent or severe symptoms, speak with your doctor about prescription treatments that can help reduce stomach acid and provide more reliable relief.
The best way to prevent acid reflux is to identify and avoid your triggers. Common triggers include large or fatty meals, spicy foods, chocolate, coffee, and alcohol. Eating smaller meals and avoiding food for at least 3 hours before going to bed can also help prevent symptoms.
Other factors, such as smoking, being overweight, and certain medications, can increase your risk of acid reflux. Making lifestyle changes, like quitting smoking or losing weight if you're overweight, may help reduce how often symptoms occur.
However, if acid reflux continues to happen regularly despite these changes, you may have gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). In these cases, prescription treatments like proton pump inhibitors can help manage symptoms and reduce stomach acid.
Yes, you can generally drink alcohol while taking acid reflux treatments, including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Alcohol doesn't usually stop these treatments from working, and there is no general requirement to avoid it completely.
However, alcohol can trigger acid reflux symptoms by irritating your digestive system and making reflux more likely. This means drinking alcohol could make your symptoms worse, even while taking treatment. If you find that alcohol triggers acid reflux for you, try drinking in moderation or stop drinking altogether.