GERD can really make your life miserable. There are prescription medications to lower your stomach acid production and help encourage your esophageal sphincter to close so you get less backflow, but these are not always 100 percent effective. If you are still dealing with GERD symptoms in spite of taking the prescriptions your doctor has recommended, here are some other management tactics to work into your routine.

1. Eat Slowly

For most patients, eating too fast makes GERD symptoms worse. When your stomach goes from empty to suddenly full, it may over-produce acid. Less-chewed food also does not absorb as much acid, leading to increased irritation. Try eating more slowly and deliberately. Chew each bite 20 times, and pause between bites. Eating with another person can help since you will typically engage in conversation and eat more slowly because of that.

2. Eat Earlier in the Evening

Do you experience the most GERD symptoms at night? This could be because your body is really tired by the time you eat, and it could also be because you lay back after eating, making it easier for your stomach contents to flow up into the esophagus. Start eating your final meal earlier in the evening — at least three hours before you lay down and go to bed. You may want to shift toward eating a more filling meal midday and just a smaller meal at dinnertime.

3. Stop Smoking

Are you still smoking as a GERD sufferer? It really is time to quit! Smoking contributes to paralysis of the esophageal sphincter and can make it easier for stomach acid to wash upward. Yes, quitting is hard, but there are so many resources out there to help. Join a local support group, ask a friend to quit with you, and look into nicotine replacement options like patches and candies.

4. Lose Weight

Being overweight can worsen GERD and make it harder for your prescriptions to do their job. Start working towards weight loss, slowly but surely. Start walking around the block every day, enroll with a personal trainer, or track and cut back your calorie intake. 

To learn more about managing your GERD, talk to your doctor. Tell them about the severity of the symptoms you are still experiencing. They may have some additional recommendations, and they may also want to change your prescription to something more effective. Learn more about GERD treatment options today.