Write an article based on this "Take an antacid. Take acid blockers. Take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Take an alginate. Try Reglan. Use antidepressants for pain relief."
Easy-to-obtain antacids like Maalox, Rolaids, and Tums contain calcium, magnesium, or aluminum and can help neutralize neutralize or counteract the acid in the stomach to make it less corrosive. Antacids can be purchased over-the-counter at pharmacies and drug stores. One of the most prescribed antacids is Maalox. Its recommended dose is one to two tablets four times a day. Though some people find these helpful in treating the casual occurrence of heart burn or indigestion, these may not be strong enough in cases of chronic indigestion. One of the main causes of chronic indigestion is excessive stomach acid which leaks upwards into the esophagus and causes discomfort. Acid blockers (also known as H2 blockers) work to reduce the production of stomach acid, thereby making the stomach contents less acidic so that when they do leak into the esophagus, it will be less irritating. The most widely recommended H2 blocker is ranitidine, or Zantac, which can be obtained OTC or with a prescription. Ranitidine can be taken orally in tablet form. In general, most H2 blockers are to be taken 30 to 60 minutes before eating (but only twice per day maximum). Acid blockers do not act as quickly as antacids but they last longer. In fact, acid blockers can work for several hours and are best used as a preventive measure. Proton pump inhibitors work by blocking a chemical system called the hydrogen-potassium adenosine triphosphatase enzyme system, which produces stomach acids. If the level of stomach acid is low, then the abdominal pain in chronic indigestion can be minimized. Physicians recommend PPIs when acid blockers don't provide lasting relief or when you have problems in the esophagus thanks to GERD. One PPI called Prilosec is available OTC, whereas others, including Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix, and stronger Prilosec, require prescription. Alginates, such as the OTC brand Gaviscon, create a foam barrier that floats on top of the contents of your stomach and keeps your stomach acids from pushing back up to the esophagus. Because they create that barrier between the stomach acid and the esophagus, alginates are especially good at providing relief from acid reflux and heartburn. Alginates work faster than H2 blockers and last longer than antacids. They come in both liquid and tablet form, so you should use whatever you prefer. You should take alginates when you experience symptoms and not before a meal, since the food passing through the esophagus can disrupt the barrier and make it less effective. Reglan, or metoclopramide, increases digestive contractions, which helps to move food through the digestive system and into the intestines. The math is simple: speedier digestive means less heartburn. Reglan should only be considered a short-term treatment and only as a last resort when the other medicines mentioned above do not provide sufficient relief. Do not use Reglan for more than 12 weeks. Reglan requires a prescription and can be taken in tablet or liquid form, usually 30 minutes before meals and before bed. NSAIDs are not given to patients with chronic indigestion to relieve abdominal pain because these drugs can irritate the intestinal lining and may aggravate the condition. Instead, antidepressants are prescribed for pain relief. Antidepressants aid in pain relief by reducing the ability of the nerve cells to reabsorb brain chemicals such as serotonin and noradrenaline. These chemicals accumulate outside the nerve cells if they are not reabsorbed. This results in the inhibition of pain messages to the spinal cord. Amitriptyline is usually prescribed for this purpose. Its therapeutic dose is 10 to 25 mg daily, which is gradually increased by an increment of 10 or 25 mg each week. Always consult your physician about the possibilities of taking an antidepressant for pain relief.