Heartburn Treatment
Let’s face it. Your heartburn could persist despite your best heartburn prevention methods. Even if you limit alcohol, don’t smoke, exercise regularly and eat right, you still may get heartburn, at least from time to time. When heartburn does hit you, you’ll want to consider using one of the Mylanta heartburn products.
Three Types of Heartburn Medicine
The three types of heartburn medicine are antacids (such as Mylanta Liquids), H2 blockers (such as Pepcid AC®) and PPIs (such as Nexium®24).
- Antacids
- Acid Reducers
- Proton-Pump Inhibitors
Antacids
Antacids provide heartburn treatment by working on the acid that is already present in the stomach. Acid neutralizers such as the active ingredients in various Mylanta heartburn treatments begin neutralizing stomach acid on contact. In addition, soothing liquid antacids, such as Mylanta, coat your throat as you drink them.
By neutralizing stomach acid on contact, these antacids give you fast, soothing relief within minutes. (And that really matters when you’re feeling the burn.)
H2 Blockers (or Acid Reducers)
H2 blockers (such as Pepcid AC) treat heartburn by causing your body to block some of the acid the digestive system produces. The reduced amount of acid helps to relieve heartburn symptoms over time. H2 blockers can take up to 30 minutes to start to work and will continue to reduce acid production for up to 12 hours. H2 blockers are not for immediate heartburn relief.
PPIs (Proton-Pump Inhibitors)
PPIs (such as Nexium 24) treat heartburn by causing your body to block the production of acid the digestive system produces. PPIs block more acid production than H2 blockers. PPIs are a 14-day treatment regimen. PPIs may take one to four days for the full effect. Unless you are under the care of a physician, PPIs are directed to be used for only two weeks (14 days) every four months. PPIs are not for immediate relief of heartburn symptoms.
Nexium® is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca AB.
Pepcid AC® is a registered trademark of McNeil Consumer Healthcare.
