Heartburn that crawls from your chest into your throat, getting worse with each progression. A bitter or sour taste in your mouth—literally—from food that came back up without any effort. Chest pain, sore throat, hoarseness, frequent throat clearing, lump in the throat, chronic cough and chronic cavities. These pain points are among the unpleasant signs and symptoms of acid reflux.
Dr. Rucha Shah, MD, an HonorHealth gastroenterologist, explains that we all have a valve that helps digestion where your stomach meets your esophagus. It opens when you swallow, then closes so gastric contents (such as gastric acid, electrolytes, digestive enzymes and mucus) and food stay in the stomach. Then, digestion can happen. Your digestive system breaks down fats, carbohydrates and proteins into small digestible pieces.
“When that valve—the lower esophageal sphincter—is loose or opens at the wrong time, acid, gas or even food can escape and come up into the esophagus,” Dr. Shah says. “This can cause irritation…and [acid reflux] symptoms.”
Isn’t acid reflux the same as GERD? Not necessarily, Dr. Shah explains, even though we sometimes use these terms interchangeably. Acid reflux happens occasionally. GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) happens more frequently—mild to moderate symptoms occurring every two days or more, or severe symptoms at least once a week.
“Some reflux is normal in everyone, particularly after large meals or fatty meals,” she says. “When it becomes more frequent or common, we call it GERD.”
Whether you have GERD or occasional acid reflux, three gastroenterologists agree that the simple “3-hour rule” is worth following.
?SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week?
Why Gastroenterologists Swear By the ‘3-Hour Rule’ for Acid Reflux
The 3-hour rule for acid reflux is surprisingly straightforward: “Try to avoid lying down for 3 hours after eating,” Dr. Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and a LabFinder.com contributor, says she tells her patients with acid reflux.
Dr. Andrew H. Moore, MD, a gastroenterologist with Endeavor Health and section head of Gastroenterology at Swedish Hospital, shares this advice with patients, especially those whose reflux disrupts their sleep.
“Pain from acid in the esophagus can prevent you from falling asleep,” Dr. Moore says. “Additionally, reflux episodes can occur throughout the night, and the pain is often enough to wake you from sleep.”
So, how does the 3-hour rule help you log better sleep?
“When you give at least 3 hours before lying down, your stomach has time to empty and lets gravity help out, instead of lying horizontal and having acid more easily reflux up,” Dr. Dibba says.
Even the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) guidelines suggest people wait at least 2 to 3 hours after eating before lying down. That said, Dr. Moore recommends treating the “3-hour rule” as a general guideline rather than a directive.
“Larger meals or those with slower gastric emptying rates—such as people on GLP-1s—may need more time,” Dr. Moore adds.
Related: The Surprising After-Dinner Habit That Can Cause Bloating and Heartburn
3 More Tips for Managing Acid Reflux
The “3-hour rule” for acid reflux gives your stomach time to empty before you lie down, improving sleep quality. However, you can manage and reduce reflux in other ways. Dr. Shah shared three more tips.
Lose or manage weight. Dr. Shah says she often tells patients that “even 5% weight loss in the abdomen can lead to improvement in symptoms of GERD.” Research also suggests it’s one of the best ways to lower your risk of experiencing acid reflux symptoms. Elevate the head of your bed. This strategy lets you rest without lying flat, so Dr. Shah says it can keep food and acid down. Evaluate for personal triggers. Dr. Shah knows this one isn’t easy. “A lot of the foods in our culture that are considered comforting foods can also be triggers,” she concedes. Still, she says identifying triggers can help you navigate them with your healthcare team, such as by cutting back on them a bit (but not necessarily eliminating them). Common acid reflux food triggers include tomatoes, spicy foods, citrus, chocolate, fried foods, wine and caffeine (SORRY!).Related: That Burning Feeling Isn’t Always Heartburn—Gastroenterologists Say These Clues Point To Something Else
When and Where to Seek Help for Acid Reflux
Dr. Dibba says you should always feel comfortable talking to your doctor about acid reflux symptoms and treatment options. You don’t have to grin and bear the heartburn, sour taste and poor sleep. Plus, she says these symptoms can sometimes signal heart issues, so it’s better to get your concerns checked out.
Where you go will depend. Dr. Moore says that you can see a primary care physician first, so long as you’re not dealing with “red-flag” acid reflux symptoms, such as:
Difficulty swallowing Weight loss AnemiaDr. Moore says a PCP can guide you through lifestyle changes and potential medications that might help your reflux, but you’ll want to see a gastroenterologist for any of the above “red-flag symptoms.” He says the specialist will likely recommend an upper endoscopy to further evaluate the root cause of your acid reflux symptoms.
Up Next:
Related: I’m a Gastroenterologist—This Is the First Question I Ask When Someone Is Always Bloated
Sources:
Dr. Rucha Shah, MD, an HonorHealth gastroenterologist Dr. Andrew H. Moore, MD, a gastroenterologist with Endeavor Health and the section head for Gastroenterology at Swedish Hospital Dr. Pratima Dibba, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and LabFinder.com contributor ACG Clinical Guideline: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology.Hence then, the article about the 3 hour rule gastroenterologists swear by for acid reflux was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The ‘3-Hour Rule’ Gastroenterologists Swear By for Acid Reflux )
Also on site :
- Southeast Asia shouldn’t copy the U.S. healthcare model, says Walgreens Boots Alliance’s APAC head: ‘It saves your life, but it’s not very healthy’
- Russian investors win battle over frozen assets
- In 1974, George Harrison Named the One Beatle He’d Happily Form Another Band With — and It Wasn’t Paul McCartney