What To Do During An Acid Reflux Attack

A severe acid reflux attack can feel like a heart attack. While acid reflux has nothing to do with the heart, the burning in your chest can feel like it does. Symptoms such as chest pain and trouble swallowing are cause for concern. If you’re experiencing severe acid reflux attack symptoms, call your doctor right away.

What is an acid reflux attack?

While mild acid reflux can be managed at home, severe acid reflux, otherwise known as an acid reflux attack requires medical attention. Symptoms of an acid reflux attack can include:

• Chest pain. If you’re experiencing severe or sharp chest pain, seek a doctor immediately.
• Trouble breathing. Other than light shortness of breath, persistent trouble breathing is cause for concern. 
• Cramping in the abdomen. Abdomen cramping is normal with acid reflux, but if using the bathroom or taking an antacid doesn’t solve the problem, seek immediate medical attention.
• Pain and difficulty when swallowing and eating. When having a severe acid reflux attack, if you have pain while swallowing or feel as if you are choking, seek a doctor immediately. 
• Sudden weight loss. Weight loss can mean there’s a nutritional deficiency. Contact your doctor right away.

Even if you have mild acid reflux, it’s important to pay attention to worsening symptoms. Any significant increase of symptoms requires attention and could be a severe acid reflux attack. 

What does an acid reflux attack feel like?

Having an acid reflux attack can be intense. You’ll know if you’re having a severe acid reflux attack. Severe symptoms can feel like a heart attack, so call your doctor or go to the ER if you're experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath and sweating. If these symptoms are common for you occasionally but are becoming more persistent, it’s time to call the doctor. 

Here’s what to do to prevent mild and severe acid reflux attacks

Preventative measures can be taken in order to keep symptoms of acid reflux at bay. Try implementing some of these tips and tricks in order to avoid your acid reflux from becoming severe.

Lifestyle changes

Simple lifestyle changes can improve acid reflux symptoms and quality of life. 

• Elevate your head when you’re lying down
• Don’t lay down for at least two hours after you eat
• Quit smoking
• Limit alcohol intake or eliminate it entirely
• Start exercising 
• Avoid eating 2-3 hours before going to bed 

Foods to avoid

Along with lifestyle changes, it’s important to avoid foods with high acidity and carbonation that can trigger severe acid reflux attacks.

• Citrus foods
• Fried foods
• Caffeine
• Soda and other carbonated beverages
• Tomatoes and tomato-based foods like marinara sauce
• Peppermint 

Why Omeprazole (Generic Prilosec) is your best treatment option for acid reflux

With moderate to severe cases of acid reflux, making simple lifestyle and dietary changes may not be enough to curb your symptoms. The good news? Prescription drug Omeprazole has been proven to be incredibly effective treatment, alleviating all symptoms!

Take control of your treatment by speaking with one of our online doctors today. They can help you discuss your best course of action, including prescription medication Omeprazole.

The best part? Omeprazole works the same as brand name acid reflux medications—at a fraction of the cost! It works by reducing stomach acid, effectively preventing recurring episodes of acid reflux. Plus, most adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, can safely take Omeprazole.

Schedule a virtual doctor’s appointment, today.

Get help for your acid reflux, today!

Acid reflux is incredibly bothersome & inconvenient. While diet & lifestyle changes may help, your best option to treat acid reflux is to speak with a doctor.

Schedule a virtual visit with one of EMD's reputable doctors & get a personalized treatment plan that works.

Stop living with acid reflux. Get help, today!