Acidity and GERD: Beyond the Antacid Bottle
Reaching for an antacid several times a week is not a solution — it is a symptom. Persistent reflux damages the oesophagus and occasionally hides something more serious.
Read articleAcid-related disease covers inflammation of the stomach lining, reflux of acid into the food pipe, and ulcers in the stomach or duodenum. It is the commonest reason adults in Anantapur buy antacids without ever finding out what is actually wrong.
Symptoms
Not everyone gets every symptom, and the pattern can differ in older people, in people with diabetes and in children. These are the ones most often reported.
- Burning pain in the upper abdomen, related to meals
- Burning behind the breastbone, worse on lying down or bending forward
- Sour or bitter fluid rising into the throat, and a bad taste on waking
- Bloating, early fullness, belching and nausea
- Night-time cough, hoarseness or throat irritation from reflux
- Pain relieved temporarily by food or antacids, returning a few hours later
When to see a doctor
Do not wait these out
If any of the following applies, arrange to be seen the same day. For anything sudden or severe, call 9281862028 or come straight to the emergency department at SIMS — it is open 24 hours and does not need an appointment.
- Vomiting blood, or passing black tarry stools — attend the emergency department
- Difficulty or pain on swallowing, or food sticking
- Unintended weight loss, persistent vomiting or a lump in the abdomen
- New symptoms after the age of 45, or symptoms not settling in a few weeks of treatment
- Anaemia found on a blood test alongside upper abdominal pain
Tests that may be advised
Your consultant will order only the investigations that change the plan. Most of the following are available on the SIMS campus, so results usually come back the same visit.
- Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for alarm features or persistent symptoms
- Testing for Helicobacter pylori infection
- Complete blood count to look for anaemia
- Ultrasound of the abdomen to exclude gallstones and other causes
- ECG where upper abdominal pain could be cardiac in origin
How it is treated
Treatment is decided case by case — by how advanced the problem is, what else you are being treated for, and what you can realistically sustain. Broadly, it involves the following.
- Acid-suppressing medication for a defined course rather than indefinite self-medication
- Eradication treatment when Helicobacter pylori is confirmed
- Smaller frequent meals, avoiding late dinners and lying down within two hours of eating
- Reducing chillies, very oily food, tobacco, alcohol and excessive tea or coffee
- Stopping unnecessary painkillers of the NSAID class, a frequent hidden cause of ulcers
- Endoscopic treatment for bleeding ulcers and narrowing of the food pipe
This page is general information, not a diagnosis
Gastritis, Acid Reflux and Peptic Ulcer can look like several other conditions, and the reverse is equally true. Nothing here can replace an examination, your test results and the judgement of the doctor treating you — and no medicine mentioned by name to a friend or relative should be started on the strength of this page. If you recognise yourself in it, book a consultation with the Medical Gastroenterology department. If a symptom is sudden or severe, call 9281862028.
