Approximately 60 million Americans have regular complaints associated with heartburn or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). According to U.S. surveys,

• 44% of the population experience heartburn at least once a month;
• 14% complain of heartburn at least once per week;
• 7% suffer from heartburn daily.

The problem underlying heartburn is the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) that allows the body’s strong gastric acids to back up (or reflux) into the esophagus.  Because the esophagus is not designed to handle this acid, it results in a burning sensation.  If this refulx is chronic, ulcers can develop.  Persistent reflux may eventually change the lining of the esophagus, making it more susceptible to developing cancer.

Several lifestyle modifications have been recommended for relief of heartburn and GERD and include:

• Losing weight
• Quitting smoking
• Avoiding lying down 3-4 hours after eating
• Raising the head of your bed
• Avoiding certain foods – especially fatty and fried foods, chocolate, alcohol, coffee, peppermint, and citrus

The Best Remedies

Stanford University’s gastroenterology department tested many of the lifestyle recommendations to see what was really effective in relieving gastric acid in the esophagus and relieving symptoms. The results showed that the modifications most effective in relieving symptoms are:

• Raising the head of the bed.  Putting blocks under the bed frame at the head, or sleeping on a wedge that raised the upper body. Even more effective was using a wedge to sleep on; raising the upper body allows gravity to assist in preventing release of gastric acid into the esophagus.
• Avoiding sleeping on the right side of your body. Reflux increases when you are lying down and sleeping on your right side. Therefore, if you lay on your left side, you will get less reflux.
• Losing excess weight has also been shown to be effective in relieving symptoms.

The other recommendations were not found to be consistently helpful. However, individuals vary and may want to experiment with the other recommendations to see if they provide personal benefits.  If frequent symptoms continue after making lifestyle modifications, you should seek medical care.

Source: Kaltenbach T, et al. (May, 2006). Are Lifestyle Measures Effective in Patients with GERD? Archives of Internal Medicine, 166:965-71.