Why acidity & heartburn happens
Your stomach makes hydrochloric acid to digest food — strong enough to dissolve a nail. A muscular valve at the top of the stomach (the lower oesophageal sphincter) normally keeps that acid where it belongs. When the valve relaxes inappropriately (after a heavy meal, when you lie flat, when stomach pressure rises in pregnancy or obesity), acid splashes up into the oesophagus and causes the burning sensation. Spicy and fried food, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, NSAIDs and stress all make it more likely. Long-standing acid reflux can damage the oesophageal lining (GERD) and rarely leads to ulcers or, much less commonly, oesophageal cancer.
What helps — OTC options & advice
For occasional acidity — the kind that hits after a wedding meal — a liquid antacid like Gelusil, Digene or Cremaffin Plus works in 5-10 minutes by directly neutralising stomach acid. They're safe to use 1-3 times a week as needed. For more frequent acidity (2+ times a week), a Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) like pantoprazole 40 mg, omeprazole 20 mg, rabeprazole 20 mg or esomeprazole 40 mg, taken 30 minutes before breakfast, suppresses acid production for 24 hours. Brand options: Pan 40, Pan-D, Omez, Razo, Nexpro. Start with a 2-week course; if you're still symptomatic, see a doctor before extending. H2 blockers like famotidine (Aciloc) are an alternative — faster onset than PPIs but milder and shorter-lived. Avoid daily long-term PPI use without medical advice — they're linked to vitamin B12 deficiency, low magnesium, weaker bones and gut infections.
Home remedies & lifestyle
Eat smaller portions; finish dinner at least 3 hours before bed; don't lie down within 2 hours of eating; raise the head of the bed by 4-6 inches (an extra pillow under the head doesn't work — the whole bed angle matters). A glass of cold milk gives 20-30 minutes of relief by buffering acid. Plain water, cucumber, fennel seeds chewed slowly after meals, and tulsi tea are gentle home remedies that suit Indian diets. Quit smoking; cut alcohol; lose 5-10% of body weight if overweight — each of these alone reduces reflux. Avoid common triggers: peppermint (paradoxically relaxes the valve), citrus, tomato-based curries, fried food, very spicy chutneys, late-night coffee.
