Key takeaways:
Once heartburn starts, over-the-counter medications — like antacids or H2 blockers — can help you get rid of your symptoms fast.
Home remedies, like drinking milk or eating a banana, may also help relieve heartburn symptoms caused by acid reflux.
If medications don’t relieve your heartburn, you may need medical care — especially if the pain feels intense.
Save on related medications
You may already know how to prevent your heartburn. Many people avoid the common triggers, like spicy food or alcohol, to help control their symptoms. But what do you do when symptoms start? Acid reflux, more commonly known as heartburn, can be quite uncomfortable. And once the symptoms start, you probably want something that’ll take away the pain quickly.
Fortunately, several evidence-based treatments are designed to help ease symptoms quickly and get you feeling better soon.
3 home remedies that can stop heartburn fast
There are many ways you can prevent heartburn before it happens, like avoiding common trigger foods or not eating right before bed. But if the symptoms have already started, there are several safe and easy options you can try.
Search and compare options
1. Take a deep breath in and hold it
Anecdotally, some people find relief from heartburn by taking a deep breath in and bear down while holding their breath. This may work because your diaphragm lowers when you take a deep inhalation, pulling the esophagus down with it. When the esophagus is slightly pulled down, it can temporarily reduce the amount of stomach acid leaking back up into it.
2. Eat a banana slowly
Bananas are often recommended to “neutralize” stomach acid. Bananas are thought to help coat the lining of the esophagus with a protective layer, making heartburn symptoms less bothersome.
3. Drink a glass of milk
Just like many over-the-counter (OTC) antacids (which we cover in the next section), milk contains calcium that can help neutralize acidity from heartburn. If you want to try this, opt for skim or low-fat milk. The fat in whole milk might further upset your stomach if you already have heartburn. The same goes for chocolate milk — it’s probably not the best choice if you have heartburn symptoms
3 types of medications that can stop heartburn fast
There are several medications you can use to stop — or at least reduce — acid reflux symptoms after they’ve started. A combination of these may work better than any individual strategy.
If you decide to try more than one medication at a time, wait at least 30 minutes between each one to give it time to work. You don’t want to take more medications than you need. This is because some of these can cause long-term health problems if taken too frequently.
1. Antacids
OTC products containing calcium, magnesium, and/or aluminum work well for treating occasional heartburn. According to Dr. Kevin Cronley, a board-certified gastroenterologist, these antacids are generally the best choice for people who have heartburn symptoms. Common brands include:
Tums (calcium carbonate)
Rolaids (calcium carbonate / magnesium hydroxide)
Mylanta (calcium carbonate / magnesium hydroxide / aluminum hydroxide, depending on the formulation)
Cronley emphasized that there’s no significant difference between how well different brands work. Choose whichever one you prefer.
Time to symptom relief: 5 minutes or less
Precautions: These medications may not be safe if you have kidney disease or are prone to kidney stones. And if you have other digestive issues, it’s important to know that calcium may worsen constipation, while magnesium may worsen diarrhea. Antacids also often interact with other medications, so you may need to space them out.
2. H2 blockers
H2 blockers decrease the amount of acid your stomach produces. Common examples include:
Famotidine (Pepcid AC)
Cimetidine (Tagemet HB)
Nizatidine (Axid)
Cronley pointed out that although H2 blockers aren’t as strong as proton pump inhibitors (covered next), they work better for on-demand use.
Time to symptom relief: Between 30 and 90 minutes, though sometimes they can take up to 3 hours.
Precautions: Some H2 blockers may not be safe if you have kidney or liver disease. They should also be used cautiously with alcohol, since they slow down your body’s ability to clear alcohol.
3. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) work similarly to H2 blockers by blocking how much acid your stomach produces. They’re the strongest medications for heartburn. But they work more slowly, so they aren’t the best choice for stopping heartburn symptoms quickly. Because of this, people who suffer from frequent bouts of heartburn often take PPIs daily to prevent symptoms.
Time to symptom relief: You might feel heartburn relief within 1 to 6 hours after taking a PPI. It may take several days for PPIs to reach their maximum effect. That’s why they’re generally best to use as a preventive measure if lifestyle changes haven’t worked.
Precautions: The precautions around PPIs are mainly for people who use them long term (more than 12 weeks). It’s best not to take PPIs for longer than you need, since they affect gut health and increase the risk of certain infections. People with liver disease should check with a healthcare professional for dosage adjustments.
Some studies have also linked long-term PPI use to potential risks, including dementia, kidney problems, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. However, short-term use appears to be pretty safe.
Take our quiz: Acid reflux medications?
What causes heartburn?
Even though most people associate heartburn with their diet, there are many different causes. The following lifestyle and genetic factors can all play a role:
Diet
Body size
Tobacco use
Alcohol consumption
Caffeine intake
Certain medications, like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and GLP-1 medications
Medical conditions can also cause heartburn, too. Examples include:
Obesity
Pregnancy
Asthma
Hiatal hernias
Eating disorders
Gastroparesis
What should you do about nonstop heartburn?
If you’ve tried acid reflux remedies but still have heartburn symptoms more than once a week, it’s important to check in with a trusted healthcare professional. Long-term acid reflux can lead to health problems. And it’s also possible that your symptoms are caused by something other than acid reflux.
A healthcare professional can help you pin down potential causes of your symptoms. They can also help you figure out if you need to start regular heartburn medication.
Get checked out right away if you’re having any of the following serious symptoms:
Vomiting up blood
Passing bloody, black, or tar-like stools
Unintentional weight loss
Intense chest pain or pressure
Pain while swallowing food or liquids
Difficulty swallowing
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Shortness of breat
Frequently asked questions
Many people use the terms “acid reflux” and “heartburn” interchangeably. But they aren’t exactly the same thing. Heartburn is one of the common symptoms of acid reflux. Acid reflux is when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus. But some people with acid reflux don’t experience heartburn. Other symptoms of acid reflux include difficulty swallowing, cough, sore throat, and nausea.
Even if you don’t experience heartburn, it’s important to treat acid reflux before it leads to health complications.
Heartburn can last anywhere from minutes to a few hours, depending on the cause and the individual. Many people find relief in less than an hour by changing positions, loosening clothing, or taking something. If your heartburn lasts longer than several hours without any relief, it’s best to get medical attention for evaluation.
It’s common to experience heartburn at night. This is because laying down makes it easier for stomach contents to travel up into the esophagus. If this happens, one of the fastest solutions is to sit up. If you’re already in bed for sleep, prop up your torso with a few extra pillows.
If nighttime heartburn happens frequently, try raising the head of your bed by 6 to 10 inches with a wedge under the mattress. It may also help to:
Eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime.
Avoid any trigger foods at dinner, such as spicy and fried foods, and carbonated drinks.
Skip alcohol in the evening.
Wear loose clothing during and after dinner.
There’s plenty of advice out there about how to fix heartburn naturally. Some remedies are worth a try, especially if you don’t want to take medication. But others might carry more risks than benefits. Here are two we don’t recommend:
Drinking baking soda: This can be very dangerous for your health, and even fatal at high enough doses.
Drinking apple cider vinegar: There’s no research evidence that drinking something like apple cider vinegar will help.
Many people use the terms “acid reflux” and “heartburn” interchangeably. But they aren’t exactly the same thing. Heartburn is one of the common symptoms of acid reflux. Acid reflux is when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus. But some people with acid reflux don’t experience heartburn. Other symptoms of acid reflux include difficulty swallowing, cough, sore throat, and nausea.
Even if you don’t experience heartburn, it’s important to treat acid reflux before it leads to health complications.
Heartburn can last anywhere from minutes to a few hours, depending on the cause and the individual. Many people find relief in less than an hour by changing positions, loosening clothing, or taking something. If your heartburn lasts longer than several hours without any relief, it’s best to get medical attention for evaluation.
It’s common to experience heartburn at night. This is because laying down makes it easier for stomach contents to travel up into the esophagus. If this happens, one of the fastest solutions is to sit up. If you’re already in bed for sleep, prop up your torso with a few extra pillows.
If nighttime heartburn happens frequently, try raising the head of your bed by 6 to 10 inches with a wedge under the mattress. It may also help to:
Eat dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime.
Avoid any trigger foods at dinner, such as spicy and fried foods, and carbonated drinks.
Skip alcohol in the evening.
Wear loose clothing during and after dinner.
There’s plenty of advice out there about how to fix heartburn naturally. Some remedies are worth a try, especially if you don’t want to take medication. But others might carry more risks than benefits. Here are two we don’t recommend:
Drinking baking soda: This can be very dangerous for your health, and even fatal at high enough doses.
Drinking apple cider vinegar: There’s no research evidence that drinking something like apple cider vinegar will help.
The bottom line
Acid reflux and heartburn can be unpleasant and painful. When it starts, there are things you can do right away to get rid of your symptoms fast. Your best bet is usually to try a short-acting medication like an antacid. If that doesn’t work, there are plenty of other remedies you can try as well. But don’t ignore heartburn if it doesn’t go away or keeps coming back. In these circumstances, it’s best to see a healthcare professional.
Why trust our experts?
References
Heidelbaugh, J. J., et al. (2013). Proton pump inhibitors and risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency: Evidence and clinical implications. Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety.
Herdiana, Y., et al. (2023). Functional food in relation to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Nutrients.
Imhann, F., et al. (2015). Proton pump inhibitors affect the gut microbiome. Gut.
Jaynes, M., et al. (2018). The risks of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors: A critical review. Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety.
Lehault, W. B., et al. (2017). Review of the long-term effects of proton pump inhibitors. Federal Practitioner.
Moody, D. E., et al. (2018). The inhibition of first-pass metabolism of ethanol by H2-receptor antagonists: A tabulated review. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety.
Pourhadi, N., et al. (2023). Proton pump inhibitors and dementia: A nationwide population-based study. Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Shin, J. M., et al. (2013). Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the proton pump inhibitors. Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility.
Soto, P., et al. (n.d.). My child got into the baking soda: Risks and treatment. National Capital Poison Center.
Weersink, R. A., et al. (2018). Safe use of proton pump inhibitors in patients with cirrhosis. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Welage, L. S., et al. (2000). Evaluation of omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole in the treatment of acid-related diseases. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association.
Wu, C. C., et al. (2023). Proton pump inhibitors and risk of chronic kidney disease: Evidence from observational studies. Journal of Clinical Medicine.
Zheng, Z., et al. (2008). Lifestyle factors and risk for symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux in monozygotic twins. Gastroenterology.
