Acid Reflux and Gastritis Treatment in Gachibowli, Hyderabad
Acid reflux (GERD) is when stomach acid flows back into the food pipe, causing heartburn and a sour taste; gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining, often from H. pylori infection or painkillers. Most people improve with smaller, earlier dinners, weight loss and a course of acid-lowering medicine. Difficulty swallowing, weight loss, vomiting blood or black stools need prompt investigation with an endoscopy.
Your acidity care pathway
Symptom and medicine review
Heartburn pattern, meals, sleep, alcohol, smoking and painkillers such as diclofenac or aspirin.
Check for warning signs
Swallowing trouble, weight loss, vomiting, bleeding or anaemia lead to an endoscopy through a gastroenterologist.
Test for H. pylori
A stool or breath test when gastritis or ulcer symptoms suggest it.
Treatment
Lifestyle changes and an acid-lowering course; H. pylori treated with a combination of antibiotics and acid-lowering medicine.
Step down
Medicine is reduced to the lowest dose that controls symptoms, rather than taken indefinitely without review.
Symptoms
- Burning pain behind the breastbone (heartburn), often after meals or lying down
- Sour or bitter taste, or food coming back into the mouth
- Upper abdominal pain, bloating or early fullness
- Nausea
- Chronic cough, hoarse voice or throat clearing
Causes & risk factors
- Large, late, spicy or fatty meals
- Excess weight around the waist
- Smoking and alcohol
- Painkillers such as diclofenac, ibuprofen and aspirin
- Helicobacter pylori infection, common in India
- Pregnancy and a hiatus hernia
Changes that help reflux
These measures reduce symptoms and the need for medicines.
- Eat dinner at least two to three hours before lying down
- Have smaller meals; reduce fried, very spicy and fatty food if they trigger symptoms
- Lose weight if you are overweight; even a few kilos helps
- Raise the head end of the bed if symptoms are worse at night
- Stop smoking and cut down alcohol
- Avoid painkillers such as diclofenac without advice
Medicines and H. pylori
Acid-lowering medicines such as pantoprazole, omeprazole or rabeprazole are taken before breakfast, usually for four to eight weeks, then reduced. Long-term daily use should be reviewed, as it can lower vitamin B12 and magnesium.
If H. pylori is found, it is treated with a combination of two or more antibiotics with an acid-lowering medicine for 14 days, and a repeat test confirms it has cleared.
Chest pain is not always acidity
- Chest pain with breathlessness, sweating, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back can be a heart attack, especially with diabetes or high blood pressure. Seek emergency care rather than treating it as acidity.
How it’s diagnosed
Diagnosis is based on symptoms, medicines and examination. H. pylori is tested with a stool antigen or breath test where gastritis or ulcer is suspected. Warning signs such as swallowing difficulty, weight loss, vomiting, bleeding, anaemia or new symptoms after age 60 lead to an endoscopy through a gastroenterologist.
How it’s treated
Treatment starts with meal timing, weight and lifestyle changes plus a four to eight week course of an acid-lowering medicine, stepped down once symptoms are controlled. H. pylori infection is treated with a 14-day combination course and a repeat test. Painkillers that irritate the stomach are reviewed, and anyone with alarm features is referred.
When to seek care
- Chest pain with sweating, breathlessness or pain spreading to the arm or jaw: emergency
- Vomiting blood or passing black, tarry stools
- Difficulty or pain when swallowing
- Unplanned weight loss or loss of appetite
- Symptoms that continue despite treatment
FAQ
Is it safe to take antacid tablets every day?
Short courses are safe. Long-term daily use should be reviewed with a doctor, as it can lower vitamin B12 and magnesium and may not be needed.
What is H. pylori?
A common stomach bacterium that causes gastritis and ulcers. It is found with a stool or breath test and treated with a 14-day combination of antibiotics and acid-lowering medicine.
Which foods should I avoid with acidity?
It varies by person, but late heavy meals, fried and very spicy food, alcohol and smoking are common triggers.
When do I need an endoscopy?
If you have difficulty swallowing, weight loss, vomiting, bleeding, anaemia, new symptoms after 60, or symptoms that don't respond to treatment.
Where can I get acidity treated in Gachibowli, Hyderabad?
Dr. Ram Kumar G treats acid reflux and gastritis at Boston Diabetes Center, Gachibowli, Hyderabad. Call or WhatsApp 09618994555.
Medical disclaimer: Content on this page is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Outcomes vary between patients. Boston Diabetes Center is outpatient / day-care specialty centre with an on-site diagnostic lab and pharmacy — no inpatient beds; imaging and inpatient care are coordinated through partner facilities.