Top Home Remedies for Acid Reflux Relief

Acid reflux can progress to gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD if left untreated. GERD, in turn, can lead to various serious health issues. This is why prompt acid reflux treatment is important. Fortunately, there are a lot of home remedies for acid reflux you can use for fast relief.

Also known as gastroesophageal reflux or GER, acid reflux refers to the condition where your stomach acid flows back into your esophagus, the tube that connects your mouth and stomach. This happens when your lower esophageal sphincter, the ring of muscle at the bottom of your esophagus refuses to close properly or opens too frequently.²

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#1 Baking Soda or Sodium Bicarbonate

Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is known to help neutralize stomach acid¹ and provides immediate relief from heartburn, a common symptom of acid reflux.

Sodium bicarbonate is an active ingredient in over-the-counter antacids like Sodium Alginate + Sodium Bicarbonate + Calcium Carbonate (Gaviscon). Together with the other active ingredients, Sodium Alginate + Sodium Bicarbonate + Calcium Carbonate (Gaviscon) relieves symptoms of heartburn in as fast as 3 minutes and provides effective heartburn relief for up to 4 hours.

Do note that sodium bicarbonate is meant for temporary relief. Consult your doctor if you have acid reflux symptoms more than twice a week for more than a few weeks.²

#2 Aloe Vera Juice

While there’s some evidence that aloe vera plant may help with soothing acid reflux, it might work for everyone since it can cause some side effects. Some forms of aloe vera juice may cause diarrhea since the juice contains anthraquinone, a potential laxative.³

#3 Ginger

Another popular home remedy for hyperacidity, ginger’s anti-inflammatory and digestive properties are reported to help soothe the gastrointestinal tract and may reduce the frequency and severity of heartburn episodes⁴. Your mileage may vary, however, since there are findings that ginger may worsen acid reflux and gastrointestinal discomfort instead.⁵

#4 Chewing Gum

One of the purported home remedies for acid reflux is chewing sugar- and flavor-free gum for half an hour after meals. While chewing gum has been shown to increase esophageal and pharyngeal pH,⁶whether this has a measurable impact on the symptoms and if it offers effective relief requires further study.

#5 Dietary Changes

Acid reflux treatment is not all about consuming things known to relieve symptoms. Avoiding the consumption of foodstuffs that can exacerbate the condition in the first place is an effective way to manage acid reflux.

Avoid trigger foods such as:

Spicy foods⁸
Tomato-based sauces⁸
Citrus fruits⁸
Peppermint⁸
Chocolate⁸
Fried or fatty foods⁸
Coffee⁴
Tea⁴
Alcohol⁴
Carbonated beverages⁸

Eating slowly, chewing food more thoroughly, and consuming smaller meals more frequently can also help alleviate symptoms.⁹

Not lying down immediately after eating can also help alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux by minimizing the risk of stomach acid flowing back into the esophagus. Find out more about how sleep and acid reflux are connected.

#6 Increased Water Intake

If you are looking for a quick, easy, and free home remedy for hyperacidity and the other symptoms of acid reflux, simply drinking more water throughout the day should help relieve your symptoms.

Increased water consumption does this in three ways:

It helps dilute the acidic juices in your stomach¹⁰
It helps promote digestion¹⁰
It washes down any acid that has flowed back into the esophagus ¹⁰

Try to take frequent small sips of water to maintain a proper acid balance in your stomach.¹¹

#7 Chamomile Tea

Chamomile Tea

No home remedies for acid reflux list would be complete without chamomile tea. Popular for its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and carminative properties since antiquity, chamomile may relieve GERD symptoms when consumed after meals or before bedtime.⁴

Anti-inflammatory refers to the ability to reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain in tissues.

Antispasmodic refers to the ability to relieve cramps and spasms.

Carminative refers to the ability to alleviate gas and bloating.

In addition, it can also help promote relaxation, reducing stress, which can aggravate acid reflux⁷ and GERD.

#8 Over-the-Counter Medicines for Acid Reflux

If you’re looking for effective relief, consider an over-the-counter medicine for acid reflux like Sodium Alginate + Sodium Bicarbonate + Calcium Carbonate (Gaviscon).

Sodium Alginate + Sodium Bicarbonate + Calcium Carbonate (Gaviscon) relieves the following acid reflux symptoms:

Heartburn
Bitter or acidic taste in the mouth
Nausea or the feeling of vomiting

Available in both ready-to-drink sachet and chewable tablet forms, Sodium Alginate + Sodium Bicarbonate + Calcium Carbonate (Gaviscon) works in as fast as 3 minutes and provides effective heartburn relief for up to 4 hours, so you can go about your day free from discomfort.

Buy now at leading drug stores and pharmacies nationwide and on the Reckitt Health and Beauty on Lazada and Reckitt Health Official Shop on Shopee.

Conclusion

We’ve looked at popular home remedies for acid reflux. As you saw, not all home remedies for acid reflux are created equal.

Before you experiment with home remedies, we recommend consulting your doctor.

References:

Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. (n.d.). Baking soda for heartburn. Retrieved October 18, 2024, from https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/baking-soda-for-heartburn/
Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Acid reflux & GERD. Retrieved January 23, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17019-acid-reflux-gerd
Brusie, Chaunie. Healthline. Can You Use Aloe Vera Juice to Treat Acid Reflux? Retrieved January 24, 2025 from https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/aloe-vera-juice-acid-reflux#safety
Sharma, A., & Gupta, R. (2024). Functional food in relation to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Retrieved January 24, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10458865/
Nichols, Hanna. (August 3, 2023 ). Ginger for acid reflux: Does it work? Retrieved January 24, 2025, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ginger-for-acid-reflux#risks
Moazzez, R., Bartlett, D., & Anggiansah, A. (2001). Effects of gum chewing on pharyngeal and esophageal pH. Retrieved October 18, 2024, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/000348940111001206?download=true&journalCode=aora
Kim, J. S., & Kim, N. (2013). The association between reflux esophagitis and psychosocial stress. Retrieved October 18, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3576549/
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). GERD diet: Foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn). Retrieved January 24, 2025, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/gerd-diet-foods-that-help-with-acid-reflux-heartburn
Andrus, Sarah MS, RD, LDN. Mass General Bigham. (Dec 2, 2024). The GERD Diet: Acid-Reducing Foods. Retrieved January 24, 2025, from https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/diet-for-gerd
Arizona Premier Surgery. (June 13, 2024). Drinking Water to Help with Acid Reflux. Retrieved January 24, 2025, from https://arizonapremiersurgery.com/2024/06/13/drinking-water-to-help-with-acid-reflux/
Galan, N. (2023, December 22). What to drink if you have acid reflux. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/314886#what-to-drink