Introduction
Acidity can hit at the most inconvenient times, leaving you with a burning sensation in your chest and discomfort. While occasional acidity is normal, frequent episodes can disturb your day-to-day life.
You don’t always need to reach for over-the-counter antacids. Here are some simple home remedies that can help relieve acidity and restore comfort.
Friendly Reminder: The information shared here is for educational purposes only, and the reader should consult a registered medical practitioner before implementing any changes to their health routine.
Symptoms of Acidity
- Pain and burning sensation in the chest, stomach, or throat
- Flatulence or gas
- Indigestion
- Bad breath
- Constipation
- Nausea or feeling of vomiting
- Heaviness in the stomach after eating
- Frequent burps
- Reflux of undigested food coming back into our mouth
Common Causes of Acidity
- Over-eating
- Eating at odd times or skipping meals
- Unhealthy eating habits include too much tea, coffee, cold drinks, junk, spicy, oily food, etc
- Stomach ailments like ulcers, Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), food intolerance, etc
- An unhealthy lifestyle, such as taking too much stress, sleeping less, smoking[7], drinking alcohol, etc
- Some medicines can also cause acidity
Acidity is often confused with other conditions. Here is a quick guide to understanding these terms better:
Acid Reflux/Acidity
- The oesophagus carries food from your mouth to the stomach.
- When the gastro-oesophagal valve (present at the junction of the oesophagus and stomach) is weak or malfunctioning, acid can go back up the tube. This causes several symptoms, all of which fall under acid reflux or acidity.
Heartburn
- Heartburn is a symptom of acidity[4].
- When the acid moves up the oesophagus, it touches the tube’s lining and causes a sharp burning sensation in the chest.
- It is sometimes mistaken for a heart attack but can be milder as well.
- Heartburn usually occurs after eating and can get worse if you bend over.
GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
- GERD is a long-term acid reflux.
- It is usually due to damage, deformation, or other issues with the oesophagal muscle.
- It can be more severe than regular acidity.
- While GERD is mistaken for a heart attack, sometimes GERD patients may experience a heart attack but misinterpret it as an acidity attack.
Gas
- Burping or feeling bloated with gas is common after eating; some people experience more severe gas.
- It may be a chronic issue in some people due to dietary habits.
- The same foods and lifestyle that cause acid reflux may also lead to gas.
Effective Home Remedies to Soothe Acidity
1. Fennel or Saunf
Fennel water may help ease acidity and related symptoms like heartburn and bloating while improving digestion.
2. Black Cumin Seeds
Chew cumin seeds directly or boil one teaspoon of them in a glass of water and drink it to relieve acidity. Black cumin seeds are gastro-protective. They are effective in reducing and preventing acidity and its symptoms like heartburn, pain, nausea, bloating, constipation, etc[5].
3. Cloves
Chew and suck a piece of clove to get rid of acidity and its symptoms like flatulence, indigestion, nausea, gastric irritability, etc.
