This is when stomach acid flows upward into your esophagus causing irritation to the bottom of the esophagus. Common symptoms include: Pain with swallowing Difficulty swallowing, particularly solid foods Heartburn A cough Occasionally nausea or vomiting, a fever, or abdominal pain. Acid reflux is often brought on by foods that are causing your stomach and esophagus duress--these foods are also known as trigger foods. Try removing these foods from your diet to see if your reflux will benefit. If you want to try this method, don't remove only one food at a time; there is commonly more than one trigger food, and it will be hard to figure out which foods are harming you. Instead, remove all of the trigger foods for at least two weeks, then add back one food at a time every three days; any foods that cause reflux symptoms should be permanently removed from the diet, or greatly limited. Common trigger foods include caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, peppermint, tomatoes, oranges, spicy foods, and high-fat foods. It is also better to eat smaller more frequent meals rather than larger meals. This can help to diminish feelings of heartburn. If you are a smoker, now may be the time to consider quitting or at least cutting back. Smoking has been shown to contribute to esophageal disease, including feelings of heartburn. Speak to your doctor if you would like support in quitting smoking (including the option for nicotine replacement and/or medications such as Wellbutrin that can diminish cravings). Being overweight or obese has also been correlated to increased heartburn, so now may be the time to get our for a walk each day and to begin an exercise program. Weight loss is not only helpful for your esophageal problems, but also benefits your overall health and wellbeing in many other ways. Speak to your physician if you would like support or guidance getting started on an exercise program, and always consult your doctor first if you are worried you may have any health restrictions that hold you back from exercise. When you have a big meal and then lie down, it makes digesting the food much more difficult. If your esophagus is damaged, there is also a much larger chance that acids from your stomach will leak back up to your esophagus when you lie down. If you find you have symptoms of heartburn at night, it can be helpful to raise the head of your bed of to sleep with more pillows. Elevating your head more while you sleep keeps you in a more upright position, which can significantly diminish feelings of heartburn. Tums is a good first choice, and if this doesn't work for you there are stronger options available over-the-counter as well. Another option is something called Zantac (Ranitidine), which is an "H2 anti-histamine." You can also try Prilosec (omeprazole), which is a "proton pump inhibitor" and helps to diminish the acid in your stomach so that any reflux becomes less irritating to the esophagus. If you are taking any of these over-the-counter medications for two weeks or more, make sure to visit your doctor and tell him or her about the medication use. If your reflux is still occurring after changing your diet and using the over-the-counter medications, visit your physician for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. At this point, your physician may offer you stronger prescription anti-reflux medications to help with your esophagitis. (examples) It is also key to establish the correct diagnosis, for different diagnoses require different forms of treatment. This is why it is key to see your doctor if you do not notice any improvement on over-the-counter medications.

Summary:
Know that acid reflux is the most common cause of esophagitis. Remove any trigger foods from your diet. Quit smoking. Lose weight. Remain upright for at least 30 minutes after eating. Take over-the-counter reflux medication. Monitor how long you take these over-the-counter medications for.