Home Remedies for Acid Reflux (Heartburn)

What Helps With Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux happens when stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. This can cause symptoms such as heartburn, regurgitation, a sour or bitter taste in the mouth, cough, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing. Occasional reflux is common, but reflux that happens often or causes complications may be diagnosed as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is common in the United States.

If you are wondering what helps with acid reflux, home strategies may help reduce mild or occasional symptoms. However, many home remedies have limited evidence, may not work for everyone, and may be unsafe for some people. Talk with a healthcare professional before trying supplements or remedies, especially if symptoms are frequent, severe, new, or worsening. Here are some approaches that may help:

Lifestyle changes: Lifestyle changes can help reduce reflux symptoms and may lower the chance of flare-ups. These may include avoiding personal food or drink triggers, eating smaller meals, limiting fatty foods, avoiding lying down for 2 to 3 hours after eating, stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding tight clothing around the abdomen.
Baking soda diluted in water: Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, may briefly neutralize stomach acid for occasional symptoms, but it should not be used regularly or in large amounts. Too much baking soda can affect the body’s acid-base balance and add a significant amount of sodium. People with high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or a sodium-restricted diet should avoid this remedy unless a healthcare professional says it is safe.
Ginger: Ginger may help some people with nausea or indigestion, but evidence that it improves acid reflux itself is limited. Ginger tea or small amounts of ginger in food are usually well tolerated, but ginger supplements may cause side effects or interact with some medications. People who are pregnant, take blood-thinning medicines, or have medical conditions should ask a healthcare professional before using ginger supplements. Ginger may help reduce nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy.
Raising the head of the bed: For nighttime reflux, raising the head of the bed by about 6 to 8 inches or using a wedge pillow may help reduce symptoms. Stacking extra pillows under the head may be less effective because it can bend the body at the waist.
Eating slowly and avoiding large meals: Eating too quickly or eating large meals can make reflux more likely in some people. Eating smaller meals and taking time to chew may help reduce symptoms.
Avoiding tight clothing: Tight belts, waistbands, or clothing that presses on the abdomen can worsen reflux symptoms in some people. Looser clothing may help reduce pressure on the stomach.

Home strategies may provide symptom relief for some people with mild or occasional acid reflux, but they do not replace medical care. Seek medical advice if reflux happens more than occasionally, interferes with sleep or daily activities, does not improve with over-the-counter treatment, or is accompanied by trouble swallowing, vomiting blood, black stools, unexplained weight loss, persistent vomiting, or chest pain. Chest pain with shortness of breath, pain in the arm or jaw, sweating, or lightheadedness needs urgent medical attention.

Safety considerations for acid reflux home remedies include:

Use baking soda only occasionally and only if it is safe for you. Avoid it unless a healthcare professional approves if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, swelling, or a sodium-restricted diet.
Use ginger supplements with caution because they may cause side effects or interact with some medicines, including blood thinners. Ginger in food or tea may be better tolerated for many people.
Licorice supplements should be used only after talking with a healthcare professional. Regular licorice can raise blood pressure, lower potassium levels, and interact with certain medications. If recommended, a clinician may suggest a deglycyrrhizinated [dee-glis-uh-riz-uh-nay-ted] licorice product instead. This is a processed form of licorice root where most of the glycyrrhizin (a sweet-tasting chemical compound) has been removed.
Apple cider vinegar is not proven to treat acid reflux and may worsen symptoms for some people. It can also irritate the throat or damage tooth enamel, especially if used undiluted or frequently.

Because acid reflux can have many causes and some symptoms can signal a more serious problem, talk with a healthcare professional before trying home remedies or supplements, especially if you have ongoing symptoms, take regular medicines, are pregnant, or have heart, kidney, liver, or blood pressure conditions.