Skip to content

Top Navigation

Health.com Health.com
  • Health Conditions A-Z
  • News
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition
  • Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Mind & Body
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Health.com

Health.com Health.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Here's What to Do

      How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. Read More Next
    • 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold

      Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Read More Next
    • How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s

      From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. Read More Next
  • Health Conditions A-Z

    Health Conditions A-Z

    See all Health Conditions A-Z

    12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder

    The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder.
    • Allergies
    • Anxiety
    • Birth Control
    • Breast Cancer
    • Coronavirus
    • Chronic Pain
    • Cold, Flu, and Sinus
    • Depression
    • Digestive Health
    • Diabetes (Type 2)
    • Eczema
    • Eye Health
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Heart Disease
    • Headaches and Migraines
    • Oral Health
    • Pregnancy
    • Psoriasis
    • Sexual Health
    • Skin Conditions
    • Sleep
    • Thyroid
  • News

    News

    See all News

    Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means

    "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening.
    • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts

    FYI: The keto diet isĀ not number one.
    • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Vitamins and Supplements
    • Groceries
    • Restaurants
    • Diets
    • Keto Diet
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Whole30
    • Recipes
  • Fitness

    Fitness

    See all Fitness

    10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required

    Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate.
    • Cardio Workouts
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Ab Workouts
    • Arm Workouts
    • Leg Workouts
    • Butt Workouts
    • Fitness Gear
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See all Beauty

    These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body

    We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages.
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Nails
  • Mind & Body

    Mind & Body

    See all Mind & Body

    Why Do People Lie? We Asked an Expert

    Here's the truth about lying.
    • Body Positivity
    • Self-Care
    • Misdiagnosed
    • Invisible Illness
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Health Diversity and Inclusion
    • Resolution Reboot
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health

    Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you.
    • Healthy Home
    • Pets
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Style
    • Holidays
    • Sex
    • Gifts
    • Money
    • Tech
    • Medicare
    • Best Life Now
  • Weight Loss
  • Newsletter
  • Promo

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. Heartburn Chevron Right
  3. Heartburn? 7 Medications That Can Help

Heartburn? 7 Medications That Can Help

By Amanda Gardner
September 14, 2011
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Stomach acid has the same pH as battery acid. Here are 7 drugs that can help fight killer heartburn.
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Is one right for you?

Credit: Getty Images

Heartburn occurs when acid in the stomach seeps up into the esophagus. Stomach acid is nearly as acidic as battery acid, so it’s not surprising that heartburn can pack a wallop. (The painful burning sensation is sometimes mistaken for a heart attack, in fact.)

The good news is, there are enough heartburn remedies to fill a whole aisle of the drugstore and several shelves in the pharmacy to boot.

The bad news is, you may have no idea how to tell the many options apart. Here’s a quick guide.

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Antacids

Sold as:

Maalox, Mylanta, Pepcid, Rolaids, Tums

Where to find them: Available over-the-counter as a tablet (regular or chewable), capsule, or liquid.

How they work: Antacids usually contain some combination of magnesium, calcium, and aluminum in the form of hydroxide or bicarbonate salts that counteract or neutralize the acid in your stomach.

Potential side effects: Diarrhea, constipation, stomach upset, nausea.

2 of 8

3 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Bismuth subsalicylate

Sold as:

Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol

Where to find it: Available over the counter as a tablets, caplets, or liquid.

How it works: Treats diarrhea by reducing the amount of bad bacteria in the intestine that could be causing the diarrhea.

Potential side effects: Darkening of the tongue and stool.

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Foaming agents

Sold as:

Gaviscon

Where to find them: Available over-the-counter as a tablet or liquid.

How it works: Creates a layer of foam that floats on top of the stomach contents, keeping them in the stomach where they belong.

Potential side effects: Nausea, constipation, diarrhea.

4 of 8

5 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

H2 blockers

Sold as:

Pepcid AC, Tagamet HB, Zantac 75 (which are also available in generic versions).

Where to find them: Available in liquid and tablet form, over-the-counter or by prescription (depending on the strength).

How they work: Reduce acid production in the stomach.

Potential side effects: Headache, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, and sleepiness. High doses over long periods of time can lead to breast enlargement and sexual problems in men.

5 of 8

6 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Prokinetics

Sold as:

bethanechol (Urecholine), metoclopramide (Reglan)

Where to find them: Available by prescription only, in liquid and tablet form.

How they work: They strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter (which keeps acid out of the esophagus) and help the stomach empty faster. Reglan also improves muscle action in the digestive tract.

Potential side effects: Dizziness, drowsiness, depression, anxiety.

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Proton pump inhibitors

Sold as:

Aciphex, Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix, Zegerid (many are also available in generic versions).

Where to find them: Available by prescription; Prilosec and Prevacid can also be obtained over-the-counter.

How they work: Inhibit acid production.

Potential side effects: Headache, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, dizziness, cough. Proton pump inhibitors have also been linked to an increased risk of some bone fractures and infections.

7 of 8

8 of 8

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Simethicone

Sold as:

Alka-Seltzer, Gas-X

Where to find it: Available over-the-counter as a tablet (regular or chewable), liquid, or capsule.

How it works: Speeds the passage of gas out of the body.

Potential side effects: Few or none if taken as directed.

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Amanda Gardner

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 8 Is one right for you?
2 of 8 Antacids
3 of 8 Bismuth subsalicylate
4 of 8 Foaming agents
5 of 8 H2 blockers
6 of 8 Prokinetics
7 of 8 Proton pump inhibitors
8 of 8 Simethicone

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Health.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact us
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Health.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. All products and services featured are selected by our editors. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.health.com

View image

Heartburn? 7 Medications That Can Help
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.