© TERO VESALAINEN / SHU T TERS TOCK
eeling that annoying burning
sensation in your chest after
enjoying a hearty meal or downing
that morning cup of coffee?
You’re not alone. More than 60 million
Americans have symptoms of heartburn
each month, and an estimated 15 million
people struggle with the ’burn each day,
according to the American College of
Gastroenterology.
The best way to manage your pain
depends on several things, such as how
often you have heartburn symptoms,
whether it plagues you during the
day or more at night, your diet and
your lifestyle.
“An important thing to understand
is that heartburn doesn’t usually
require medication right away. Lifestyle
modifications can really help,” says
Costco member Dr. Walter Chan,
spokesperson for the American
Gastroenterological Association
and assistant professor at Harvard
Medical School.
Losing weight, stopping smoking,
not eating within three to four hours of
bedtime and avoiding heavy meals can
help reduce symptoms.
Avoiding food triggers such as
caffeine, chocolate, citrus fruits such as
lemons and oranges, tomatoes, garlic,
onions, peppermint and spicy foods can
help keep heartburn at bay.
When lifestyle modifications aren’t
enough, medication is the next step.
With so many options, choosing
the right heartburn medication can be
confusing—and downright difficult.
Nicole Harrington, a clinical pharmacy
specialist at Christiana Care Health
System, recommends people first try
Feeling
the ’burn?
Find the right way
to manage
your heartburn
by FRIEDA WILEY
COSTCO
CONNECTION
Costco members
will find a wide variety
of over-the-counter
medications at Costco
and on Costco.com.
Most prescriptions
can be filled at
Costco pharmacies.
F
Heartburn or GERD?
Your symptoms may
indicate a more serious
condition, such as
gastroesophageal reflux
disease, or GERD.
• Is your heartburn
worse than it used to be?
• Do your symptoms
include bringing up gas
and small amounts of
food from your stomach
to your mouth?
• Do you wake up at
night with heartburn?
• Have you been having
difficulty swallowing?
• Do you continue to
have heartburn symptoms
even after taking non-
prescription medication?
If you answered yes
to any of these questions,
your heartburn warrants
attention from a medical
professional.—FW
