How to treat gastric heartburn
Disease description:
Heartburn started after the early-stage gastric ulcer was cured. I have been taking medication on and off for a long time, and each time I take omeprazole, it helps for about two days. I still want to ask the doctor: how is heartburn treated?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Shen Yonghua
Treatment for heartburn can be approached from the following aspects:
1. General treatment: Adjust lifestyle habits, such as avoiding lying down immediately after meals, reducing activities that increase abdominal pressure like bending over and lifting heavy objects, to minimize acid reflux.
2. Dietary adjustment: Decrease intake of spicy, greasy, overly sweet, or acidic foods, and increase consumption of bland, easily digestible foods. Avoid overeating and drink an appropriate amount of water to dilute stomach acid.
3. Medication: Commonly used medications include acid inhibitors and gastric mucosal protectants, which can effectively suppress gastric acid secretion, protect the gastric mucosa, and thereby alleviate heartburn symptoms.
4. Surgical treatment: For patients who do not respond to or cannot tolerate medication, and for those with severe complications such as esophageal stricture or Barrett's esophagus, surgical options such as anti-reflux procedures may be considered.
5. Etiology-based treatment: If heartburn symptoms recur frequently or are difficult to relieve, timely medical consultation is necessary to identify the underlying cause, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or peptic ulcer disease, and treatment should be directed accordingly.
