How Can You Get Rid of Acid Reflux Fast? - GoodRx (2024)

You may already know what to do to prevent heartburn, such as cutting back on things like spicy food, alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. But what do you do when symptoms start? Anyone who has experienced acid reflux (also known as heartburn) knows how uncomfortable it can be. And once the symptoms start, you probably want something that will take away the pain quickly.

Fortunately, there are several evidence-based options for treatment that are designed to help quickly, and get you feeling better soon.

Medications that can stop acid reflux fast

There are several medications you can use to stop — or at least reduce — acid reflux symptoms after they’ve started. A combination of these may work better than any individual strategy.

If you do decide to try more than one at a time, wait at least 30 minutes between each new medication so you can give it time to work. You don’t want to take more medications than you need. This is because some of these can cause long-term health problems if taken too frequently.

Calcium, magnesium, and aluminum products (antacids)

Over-the-counter (OTC) products containing calcium, magnesium, and/or aluminum work well to treat occasional heartburn. According to Dr. Kevin Cronley, a board-certified gastroenterologist, these antacids are generally the best choice for people who have heartburn symptoms. They’re usually well tolerated and work quickly. Some common brands include:

• Tums (calcium carbonate)

• Rolaids (calcium carbonate/magnesium hydroxide)

• Mylanta (calcium carbonate/magnesium hydroxide/aluminum hydroxide, depending on formulation)

Some products also contain simethicone, a medicine to relieve gas. Dr. Cronley emphasizes that there’s no significant difference between how well different brands work, so choose whichever one you prefer.

Time to symptom relief: 5 minutes or less

Precautions: These medications may not be safe if you have kidney disease or are prone to kidney stones. And if you have other digestive issues, it's important to know that calcium may worsen constipation, and magnesium may worsen diarrhea. Antacids often interact with other medications, so you may need to space them out.

Famotidine, cimetidine, and nizatidine

Famotidine (Pepcid AC), cimetidine (Tagemet HB), and nizatidine (Axid) are H2 blockers. H2 blockers decrease how much acid your stomach produces. This means even if you still have reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus, it’s less likely to cause the burning feeling you associate with heartburn.

Dr. Cronley points out that even though H2 blockers aren’t as strong as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), they work better for on-demand use.

Time to symptom relief: Between 30 and 90 minutes. Maximum symptom relief may take up to 3 hours.

Precautions: Some H2 blockers may not be safe if you have kidney or liver disease. They should also be used cautiously with alcohol, since they slow down alcohol clearance from the body.

Omeprazole, pantoprazole, or other proton pump inhibitors

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) work similarly to H2 blockers by blocking how much acid your stomach produces. They’re the strongest heartburn medications. However, they work more slowly, so they aren’t the best choice for stopping heartburn symptoms quickly. Because of this, people who suffer from frequent bouts of heartburn often take them daily to prevent symptoms from starting.

Time to symptom relief: You might feel heartburn relief between 1 and 6 hours after taking a PPI. However, it may take several days for PPIs to reach their maximum effect. That’s why they’re generally best to use as a preventive measure if lifestyle measures haven’t worked.

Precautions: The precautions around PPI are mainly for people who use them over the long term (more than 12 weeks). It’s best not to take PPIs for longer than you need, since they affect gut health and increase the risk of certain infections. And people with liver disease should check with a healthcare provider for dosage adjustments.

Some studies have also linked long-term PPI use to dementia, kidney problems, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. However, short-term use appears to be pretty safe.

Home remedies that can stop acid reflux fast

Of course, there are many ways you can prevent heartburn before it happens. Diet, body mass, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, caffeine intake, and your overall health can all play a role. But if the symptoms have already started, there are several safe and easy options you can try.

Take a deep breath in and hold it

Anecdotally, some people find relief from heartburn when they take a deep breath in and bear down while holding their breath. It’s possible this is because the diaphragm lowers when you take a deep inhalation, pulling the esophagus down with it. When the esophagus is pulled down slightly, it can reduce the amount of stomach acid leaking back up into the esophagus temporarily.

Eat a banana slowly

Bananas are often recommended to “neutralize” stomach acid, and some animal research suggests they may even be able to help the body heal from ulcers. Bananas may help coat the lining of the esophagus with a protective layer, making heartburn symptoms less bothersome.

Drink a glass of milk

Just like many OTC antacids, milk contains calcium, which will help neutralize acidity from heartburn. If you want to try this one, consider reaching for skim or low-fat milk. The fat in whole milk might further upset your stomach if you already have heartburn. Same goes for chocolate milk — probably not the best bet if you have heartburn symptoms.

Home remedies that may be risky

There’s a plethora of advice out there about how to fix heartburn naturally. And some of it is worth a try, especially if you don’t want to take medication. But some remedies might have more risks than benefits. Here are two we don’t recommend:

• Drinking baking soda: Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, will temporarily neutralize stomach acid and stop heartburn in its tracks. However, too much sodium and too much bicarbonate can be very dangerous for your health, and can even cause death at high enough doses.

• Drinking apple cider vinegar: Most people think heartburn always means high levels of stomach acid. But low levels of stomach acid can trigger heartburn, too. And when this is the case, taking more antacids or heartburn medications will not help solve these symptoms. But there’s no strong scientific evidence that drinking something like apple cider vinegar will work. And drinking acid can be harmful to your teeth, not to mention possibly making your heartburn symptoms worse.

What should you do when you can’t get rid of acid reflux?

If you’ve tried acid reflux remedies and you’re still having heartburn symptoms more than once a week, it’s important to check in with a trusted healthcare provider. This is because long-term acid reflux can lead to health problems. And it’s also possible that your symptoms are caused by something other than acid reflux.

Your healthcare provider can help you pin down potential causes of your symptoms. They can also help you figure out if you need to start regular heartburn medication.

Get checked out right away if you’ re having any of the following serious symptoms:

• Vomiting up blood

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• Passing bloody, black, or tar-like stools

• Unintentional weight loss

• Severe chest pain or pressure

• Pain while swallowing food or liquids

• Difficulty swallowing

• Lightheadedness or dizziness

• Shortness of breath