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Online Prescriber - Acid Reflux

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What is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux is the action of stomach acid travelling up the oesophagus towards the throat. If it keeps happening it is called gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

When we eat, food passes down the oesophagus into the stomach. Our stomachs produce acid and other chemicals to help digest the food whilst also producing a mucus which lines the stomach to protect it from the strong stomach juices. The oesophagus does not produce the same protective mucus that the stomach does, this often leads to unpleasant symptoms (these are listed below). If left untreated it can lead to more serious conditions.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptoms of acid reflux are:

- - Heartburn – a burning pain or discomfort in your abdomen or chest
  - A sour or bitter taste in the back of your mouth or throat

You may also suffer from some of the following symptoms:

- - Cough
  - Recurring hiccups
  - Hoarse Voice
  - Bad breath
  - Bloating and belching
  - Feeling sick

Symptoms can range from being occasional to chronic and long term and you may also find that symptoms tend to be worse after eating, when lying down or bending over.

What causes acid reflux?

Some people get acid reflux now and again and the reason may not be obvious but there are a number of common risk factors:

- - Eating trigger foods I.e. fatty, spicy foods, chocolate etc.
  - Drinking alcohol and caffeinated drinks
  - Smoking
  - Being overweight
  - Pregnancy
  - Stress and anxiety
  - Certain medicines such as anti-inflammatory medicines (i.e. ibuprofen and aspirin)
  - Hiatus hernia – when the stomach bulges up into the chest through and opening in the diaphragm

Treatment of acid reflux

Omeprazole 20mg & 40mg

Esomeprazole 20mg & 40mg

Esomeprazole 15mg & 30mg

It may be possible to treat your heartburn with some simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. If you think certain foods aggravate your symptoms, try to avoid consuming them. If you find that eating large meals causes symptoms, try eating little and often, and eat at least 3-4 hours before going to bed. Loosing weight, raising your chest and head above your stomach in bed and finding ways to de-stress may also be beneficial. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol and ensure your clothes around your stomach are comfortable.

There are medicines you can buy called antacids which help to neutralise the acid in your stomach. They can be taken with or after food and before bedtime to help control your symptoms.

Product Information

Please click below for further information on each product regarding what treatments we offer and how they work:

Esomeprazole

Omeprazole

Lansoprazole

Why Choose Pharmacy First’s Online Prescriber Service?

At Pharmacy First we offer a range of products to help relieve heartburn and acid reflux. These include Omeprazole and Esomeprazole, known as proton pump inhibitors. These tablets work by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces and therefore reducing the symptoms experienced by excess acid.

There’s no need for a face-to-face doctor appointment and you are not required to bear a prescription before you purchase as Pharmacy First’s Online Prescriber Service provides you with prescription-only medication after a short online consultation which is reviewed by our qualified online medical prescribers.