A guide to soothing your worst tummy troubles
By Christopher
Watters, MD
You know the signs all
too well. Your stomach starts gurgling, your chest starts burning, you start
cramping — and you begin your frantic search for the bathroom. Digestive
problems can be embarrassing, and not something people want to talk about
openly — even with their doctor. But as I tell my patients, these problems are
strikingly common, and affect many people on a daily basis.
While digestive
problems often go away on their own, over-the-counter medications can help to
relieve many of the symptoms that are interfering with your everyday life.
Here's a guide to the OTC medicines you can use to soothe tummy or digestive
troubles.
Remember: These
medicines are only meant for occasional, short-term use; if your problems
persist or worsen, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you come up with a
treatment plan (including lifestyle changes) that can bring you long-lasting
relief.
For Heartburn
If you suffer from heartburn, you're probably
all too familiar with that burning sensation in your stomach, chest or throat that
can cause discomfort. This irritation is caused by an imbalance of acid in your
stomach.
Heartburn is often
triggered by eating a big meal or certain foods, and occurs when your stomach
contents rise into your esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest,
behind the breastbone and in the mid-abdomen.
Several types of
over-the-counter medicines can help to relieve your symptoms and reduce your
stomach’s acidity:
· Antacids provide quick, short-term relief by
neutralizing stomach acid. Antacids may include ingredients like baking soda,
calcium carbonate or magnesium compounds.
· Alginic acids are often combined with antacids
to provide quick relief. While antacids help to neutralize stomach acid,
alginic acids form a protective barrier within your GI tract, coating and
protecting inflamed areas.
· H2 blockers, like famotidine, cimetidine, and
ranitidine, lower the amount of acid your stomach makes. While it takes up to
an hour for H2 blockers to work, the effects last longer than antacids, up to
12 hours.
· Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) provide
long-lasting reduction, up to 24 hours, in stomach acid production.
Lansoprazole and omeprazole are both types of proton pump inhibitors.
Side effects of these
drug classes are usually minor and often resolve on their own. They include
nausea, constipation, diarrhea and headaches. Your doctor can let you know
which type of OTC medicine will work best for you. Talk to your doctor before
using antacids if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking prescription
medications, or if you have problems with ulcers, the liver or your kidneys.
For Nausea and Vomiting
Last night's Chinese
take-out leftovers seem like a great meal idea — until your stomach clearly
begins to disagree with you. Nausea and vomiting are one of your body’s major
defenses against food poisoning, and can also arise from problems like motion
sickness and overeating. While the best way to cure an upset stomach from most
cases of food poisoning is to let your body rid itself of the bacteria causing
your discomfort, over-the-counter antiemetics can come in handy when dealing
with nausea and vomiting symptoms caused by motion sickness and certain other
conditions. There are two main types of OTC medications used to treat nausea
and vomiting:
· Bismuth subsalicylate, the active ingredient
in OTC medications like Kaopectate and Pepto-Bismol, protects your stomach
lining. Bismuth subsalicylate is also used to treat ulcers, upset stomach and
diarrhea.
· Other medicines include cyclizine,
dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine and meclizine. These can be found in medicines
such as Dramamine, Bonine, or others, and they dull motion sickness by acting
on your brain. They block messages from reaching the part of the brain that
controls nausea and vomiting
Side effects of
bismuth subsalicylate are usually very minor and short-lived; the most common
side effects are a darkened tongue or stools. However, it's important not to
give medicines with bismuth subsalicylate to children or teenagers with chicken
pox or flu-like symptoms, since symptoms such as changes in behavior with
nausea or vomiting could be an early sign of Reye's syndrome, a rare but
serious illness. Talk to a doctor right away if your child is experiencing such
symptoms. Some antiemtics can make you sleepy, so read the label carefully and
heed any warnings about mixing with alcohol, driving or operating machinery.
Don't take antiemetics without reading the label first, and talk to your doctor
if there are any warnings on your medication of choice: there are several drugs
and health conditions that don't mix well with antiemetics, including certain
common pain relievers.
For Constipation
What's causing your
constipation? Most likely, something on your dinner table. A diet high in dairy
products and low in fiber and water can make it difficult for you to pass a
stool. If you’ve gone more than three days without a bowel movement, or are
having trouble passing a stool, you might consider temporarily taking a
laxative to help you through the problem.
There are several
types of laxatives available over-the counter; your doctor can help you decide
which one is best for you:
· Bulk-forming laxatives, which often contain
ingredients like psyllium, methylcellulose and polycarbophil, draw water into
the stool to make them larger and easier to pass. Drink plenty of water while
taking.
· Osmotic laxatives draw fluid into the bowel
from the nearby tissue. Osmotic laxatives often have ingredients like
polyethylene glycol or magnesium.
· Lubricant laxatives, such as glycerin
suppositories, coat the surface of stools or the anus to make it easier for
stools to pass. Mineral oil is a common lubricant laxative.
· Stimulant laxatives should only be used for a
few days, as they are harsh on the body. They cause the bowels to squeeze the
stool out.
Laxatives don’t
usually have side effects, but, in some cases, they can cause cramping, gas,
bloating, nausea or diarrhea. Don't use laxatives for more than a week without
checking in with your doctor: long-term laxative use can be unhealthy, and may
mask a problem your doctor should know about. Your doctor can help you make
lifestyle and dietary changes to treat constipation long-term.
Talk to your doctor
before using laxatives if you have stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, a fever of
over 101.5 degrees or a sudden change in your bowel habits that continues for
two or more weeks. You should also consult your doctor if you are currently
taking prescription medication as laxatives make it more difficult for your
body to absorb certain medicines and nutrients.
For Diarrhea
Everyone experiences
it now and again — the dreaded diarrhea.
Diarrhea (large amounts of loose or watery stools) occurs when your colon is
unable to adequately absorb the liquid from the food and fluids you ingest, and
is most often caused by a stomach bug. Diarrhea doesn't usually require
medication, and resolves itself after a couple of days; most times, lifestyle
changes can help prevent future cases of diarrhea. However, antidiarrheal
medications can help with symptoms, especially if you have cramping. Your
doctor may suggest one of two common over-the-counter antidiarrheals:
·
Loperamide slows down fluid moving through
your bowels.
·
Bismuth subsalicylate decreases the flow of
fluids in your bowel, and also reduces inflammation and may kill the bacteria
that cause the diarrhea in the first place.
Loperamide can make
you drowsy, so be sure to read the label carefully; the label will tell you
what behaviors, if any, you should avoid while on the medication. Bismuth
subsalicylate can make your tongue and/or stool look black; this side effect is
harmless. If you think your diarrhea might be caused by an infection, talk to
your doctor, as another medicine might be better at treating the bug. You
should also talk to your doctor if you have a fever or find mucus or blood in
your stools, as your diarrhea may signal a more serious problem.
Finding Relief
The right
over-the-counter medicine can bring quick relief for many short-term gastrointestinal
problems. Remember to read the labels of any medicines you are
planning to take, and talk to your doctor if you have questions or
concerns.
Published June 19,
2013
Dr.
Christopher Watters is a MedHelp expert and
contributor and a surgeon at the Duke University Medical Center. He has nearly
30 years of experience in treating patients, and specializes in the
gastrointestinal system. He is a member of the Society for Surgery of the
Alimentary Tract and the American College of Phlebology.
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