Reflux Zone

Got Acid Reflux? Raise Your Bed

Congratulations. You have acid reflux disease. You are in for some expensive prescription drugs (unless your doctor thinks you can prevent damage and control the acid with over the counter medication) and then your doctor tells you to raise the head of your bed six to seven inches. Why?

As you begin to get your planned diet for gerd, your doctor may tell you to raise the head of your bed. This is a basic gravity principle: it is more difficult for the stomach acid to travel up a slope than it would be if you were lying flat. So, how do you raise the head of your bed?

The one thing you do not do is simply prop yourself up with pillows. The pillows only tilt the upper portion of your upper body, basically your neck and head. The stomach acid might still be able to easily reach the back of your throat or mouth area and if you are propped up with pillows, the angle might be one that actually encourages the acid to gurgle in that area for a while - sort of like having a kink in a water hose. You don't want that to happen.

Instead, there are mattress accessories you can buy to create the tilt. They can be quite pricy, however. Check with a local medical supply company gerd diet that usually carries wheel chairs, crutches, etc., to see if they have the mattresses in stock. Or, talk to your doctor or pharmacist for referrals.

Or, just do it the simple way. Tilt the head of your bed with sturdy objects such as wood, bricks or concrete blocks. Your doctor will tell you how much to raise the head of your bed. It may range from one inch to even six or seven. The higher the tilt, the more control you will have.

Once you know how much to tilt the head is honey a cure for acid reflux of your bed, then you can select the objects you will use to tilt it. Make sure the bed is steady and safe once you have tilted it. If you have children in the house, make sure they know not to jump on this bed and explain the dangers of the tilted bed to them. When you back away from your bed and look at it, it will no doubt look strange. But remember that the need for the tilted bed may not be permanent. It may just be long enough to help get your acid reflux under control.