Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesComplicationsTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Complications
Treatment
Prevention
Stomach acid is essential for digestion. However, sometimes acid-producing cells in yourdigestive systempump out too much acid. This can lead to complications like reflux disease and stomach ulcers.
Symptoms of High Stomach Acid
High stomach acid symptoms can include:
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What Can Cause High Stomach Acid?
Cells that line the stomach produce hydrochloric acid, which helps break down food into its most basic components needed to sustain life. Certain conditions can cause your body to produce too much of this acid. These include the following:
Complications of Excess Stomach Acid
Too much acid in your stomach can overwhelm theprostaglandins(hormone-like chemicals that influence pain and inflammation) in your stomach andduodenum. These hormones help protect the lining of your stomach, but if they are overwhelmed, it can cause ulcers as well as a host of other symptoms.
Excessive amounts of stomach acid cause the following three conditions:
How to Do You Fix High Stomach Acid?
There are a number of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications that you can take to reduce acid production in the stomach, helping to alleviate heartburn symptoms. Medications include:
Other things you can do include these at-home remedies:
If you have persistent symptoms that are getting worse or don’t go away with treatment, seek immediate medical attention.
Preventing High Stomach Acid
You can prevent high stomach acid output for some conditions more easily than others. For example, if the cause of your excessive stomach acid is due toH. pyloriinfection,antibioticscan clear your infection resolving your symptoms.
If you have ZES, it might be harder to control stomach acid production. Your healthcare provider may recommend having tumors surgically removed and undergoing chemotherapy. You can also use PPIs to block the action of the tiny pumps that secrete acid into the gut.
Your diet may have much to do with high acidity in your stomach.Acidic foodsand foods high in fat, salt, or spice are likely to cause reflux. Avoid these problem-causing foods to prevent symptoms:
Summary
Stomach acid is a natural part of the digestive system that helps the body break down foods into basic components that your organs can use. When it’s produced in large amounts, it can lead to various symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea, and burping.
Causes can includeH. pyloribacteria and stress. Medications such as PPIs and H2 blockers can help reduce acid production in the stomach to relieve symptoms. WithH. pyloriinfections, antibiotics may be prescribed. Making dietary changes may also provide symptom relief.
Talk to a healthcare provider if your symptoms aren’t getting better or going away.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of peptic ulcers (stomach or duodenal ulcers).Waldum HL, Kleveland PM, Sørdal ØF.Helicobacter pylori and gastric acid: an intimate and reciprocal relationship.Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2016;9(6):836-844. doi:10.1177/1756283X16663395Lee YB, Yu J, Choi HH, et al.The association between peptic ulcer diseases and mental health problems: A population-based study a STROBE compliant article.Medicine. 2017;96(34):e7828. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000007828National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Johnson AC, Grundy D.Gastrointestinal physiology and function.Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2017;239:1-16. doi:10.1007/164_2016_118National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.Bor S, Kalkan İH, Çelebi A, et al.Alginates: from the ocean to gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2019;30(Suppl 2):S109-S136. doi:10.5152/tjg.2019.19677Johns Hopkins Medicine.GERD diet: foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn).Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.9 at-home treatments for acid reflux.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of peptic ulcers (stomach or duodenal ulcers).Waldum HL, Kleveland PM, Sørdal ØF.Helicobacter pylori and gastric acid: an intimate and reciprocal relationship.Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2016;9(6):836-844. doi:10.1177/1756283X16663395Lee YB, Yu J, Choi HH, et al.The association between peptic ulcer diseases and mental health problems: A population-based study a STROBE compliant article.Medicine. 2017;96(34):e7828. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000007828National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Johnson AC, Grundy D.Gastrointestinal physiology and function.Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2017;239:1-16. doi:10.1007/164_2016_118National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.Bor S, Kalkan İH, Çelebi A, et al.Alginates: from the ocean to gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2019;30(Suppl 2):S109-S136. doi:10.5152/tjg.2019.19677Johns Hopkins Medicine.GERD diet: foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn).Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.9 at-home treatments for acid reflux.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of peptic ulcers (stomach or duodenal ulcers).Waldum HL, Kleveland PM, Sørdal ØF.Helicobacter pylori and gastric acid: an intimate and reciprocal relationship.Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2016;9(6):836-844. doi:10.1177/1756283X16663395Lee YB, Yu J, Choi HH, et al.The association between peptic ulcer diseases and mental health problems: A population-based study a STROBE compliant article.Medicine. 2017;96(34):e7828. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000007828National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Johnson AC, Grundy D.Gastrointestinal physiology and function.Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2017;239:1-16. doi:10.1007/164_2016_118National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.Bor S, Kalkan İH, Çelebi A, et al.Alginates: from the ocean to gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2019;30(Suppl 2):S109-S136. doi:10.5152/tjg.2019.19677Johns Hopkins Medicine.GERD diet: foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn).Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.9 at-home treatments for acid reflux.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of peptic ulcers (stomach or duodenal ulcers).
Waldum HL, Kleveland PM, Sørdal ØF.Helicobacter pylori and gastric acid: an intimate and reciprocal relationship.Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2016;9(6):836-844. doi:10.1177/1756283X16663395
Lee YB, Yu J, Choi HH, et al.The association between peptic ulcer diseases and mental health problems: A population-based study a STROBE compliant article.Medicine. 2017;96(34):e7828. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000007828
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Johnson AC, Grundy D.Gastrointestinal physiology and function.Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2017;239:1-16. doi:10.1007/164_2016_118
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for GER & GERD.
Bor S, Kalkan İH, Çelebi A, et al.Alginates: from the ocean to gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment.Turk J Gastroenterol. 2019;30(Suppl 2):S109-S136. doi:10.5152/tjg.2019.19677
Johns Hopkins Medicine.GERD diet: foods that help with acid reflux (heartburn).
Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School.9 at-home treatments for acid reflux.
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