Why Drinking Milk Can Make Heartburn Worse
Heartburn, that burning, uncomfortable sensation that can often be quite painful, is cause by an excessive amount of acids in the stomach. Over the years, many people have tried various remedies and methods to find relief from this irritating condition. One of those ways is drinking milk; however, milk and heartburn generally do not go together.
It’s easy enough to understand how the myth of milk relieving heartburn was perpetuated. At first milk may seem to help with heartburn as its coolness soothes your esophagus and washes the excess acids back into the stomach. However, the relief is only temporary as milk can actually cause the stomach to produce more acids than it did in the first place. Beverages such as milk, soda and beer can all cause an excess of stomach acids and regular occurrences of heartburn.
If you can’t bear the thought of giving up milk but also know that it’s triggering your heartburn, there are a few options you many want to consider. The first and most obvious option is to simply cut back on the amount of milk you drink and also to make sure to avoid it before lying down.
Another choice is to try switching to soy milk to see if that might alleviate your symptoms.
There are many antacid medications available today, both with a prescription and without. Depending on the severity of your particular condition, you may still be able to enjoy drinking milk while taking some type of antacid. There are medications that are taken daily which cause the stomach to decrease its acid production, in which case, drinking milk may still be a viable option.
Before trying heartburn medications, many people suffering from heartburn choose to modify their diets as a way of combating the troublesome condition. If you suspect milk is one of the causes of your discomfort, try to completely avoid it for a few days to see if the heartburn disappears. If so, then you can take the appropriate measures such as taking an antacid prior to drinking it. Other things that are also known to trigger a bout of heartburn are citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes and spicy, hot or fatty foods.
By being aware of exactly when you experience a case of heartburn you can better prepare yourself for the future and hopefully avoid the painful sensation altogether. By taking either over-the-counter or prescription medications as well as making a few, simple changes you should be able to find relief from heartburn and still be able to enjoy your bowl of cereal or glass of milk.