Happily, drugs do work as a cure for acid reflux and GERD. There are five groups of different acid reflux treatments listed in order of efficacy.

GERD and acid reflux treatments:

1. Antacids and alginates.
2. H2 receptor antagonists (such as ranitidine and cimetidine).
3. ‘As needed’ doses of proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole and lansoprazole),
4. Maintenance low-dose proton pump inhibitors.
5. Healing high-dose proton pump inhibitors.

Remedies For Acid Reflux – Antacids and Alginates

Antacids describe themselves. They are alkaline based remedies for acid reflux, designed to neutralize the acid produced by the stomach. Alginates are derived from seaweed (agar) and are designed to release a gel into the lower esophagus that will protect the surface from acid attack, or act as a ‘raft’ that floats on the top of the stomach contents and prevent the upward flow into the esophagus. Both types of treatment, especially
if given together, are effective for mild to moderate GERD and acid reflux disease.

Antacids are usually aluminum or magnesium compounds. They range in convenience and cost – the cheaper preparations tending to be less palatable than, but just as effective as the dearer ones. They can all be bought from pharmacies to save you having to wait for a prescription.

The basic antacid style of remedies for acid reflux are aluminum hydroxide and magnesium carbonate or trisilicate. Pharmacies have dozens of formulations of them to suit your taste and preference. Co-magaldrox is a mixture of aluminum and magnesium hydroxides, marketed as Maalox or Mucogel.

Remedies for acid reflux which contain  aluminum and magnesium compounds are poorly soluble in water, and act for a long time if they remain in the stomach. The main difference between them is that aluminum-containing antacids tend to constipate and magnesium compounds tend to loosen the motions, so combining them, in theory, minimizes these effects on the bowel.

If you need a longer action, you can choose a combination of an antacid with an alginate. The sticky alkaline barrier that they form on the top of the stomach contents combines neutralization of the acid with the raft principle mentioned above. Among alginate-containing products are Algicon, Gastrocote, Gaviscon, Peptac, Rennie Duo and Topal. There are many more.

An alternative acid reflux treatment to alginate is a silicone, such as simeticone, (dimeticone). This is a ‘de-foaming’ agent that is thought to make it easier to belch, reduce bloating, and allow faster passage of food and digestive juices through the stomach, reducing reflux as it does so. It is particularly useful in easing hiccups. Antacid-simeticone preparations include Altacite Plus, Asilone and Maalox Plus. Again, there are many others.

All antacid-alginate or antacid-simeticone combinations of acid reflux treatments are popular over-the-counter drugs, so they must work for many people. If you find one that suits you, you may as well stick to it. However, if you have to take one every day, you need to step up your treatment into the acid-suppressant drugs, the H2 receptor antagonists or the proton pump inhibitors.

Acid Reflux Remedy - Acid Suppressant Drugs