Many acid reflux suffers do not realize that a "wedge" pillow can dramatically reduce their acid reflux at night time.
When you lay down, you no longer have that natural force we call "gravity" weighing your gastric contents down, so acid tends to freely reflux its way all the way up to your windpipe.
This can result in a variety of different issues: you may notice some voice hoarseness in the morning due to your vocal cords being baked by the hydrochloric acid, or you may be one of the unlucky few who actually feel the burning sensation and awakens whenever it occurs.
Having experienced both of these events before, I eventually sought out a solution.
This is where the wedge pillow comes in.
It's the true home remedy: the acid reflux wedge pillow is exactly what it sounds like -- a pillow on an incline.
The incline can range anywhere from 20-40 degrees, and the pillow is made of a special harder material that will conform to your back while still giving you plenty of support.
You do not want to "make" a pillow wedge yourself.
Normal pillows are far too soft for this kind of thing, and if you attempt to do it you could very well worsen your reflux by contorting your body in an unusual position and putting pressure on your lower half.
That pressure could force your LES valve to open and allow you to reflux more than you would had you laid down normally.
Something else you can try if a wedge pillow is out of the budget is to place some bricks under the headstock of your bed, so your bed is on an incline.
You will probably have to discuss this with your significant other, however.
It's for this reason that I generally recommend just investing in a wedge pillow for your acid reflux..
don't want to make the spouse angry! I've noticed personally that since purchasing a wedge pillow, my night time reflux has significantly decreased to the point where I no longer have any hoarseness in the morning time.
Seeing as how I've suffered from morning hoarseness for at least half of my waking life, I was enthralled! Absolutely ecstatic.
Don't get me wrong, the pillow takes some getting used to.
Sleeping on an incline can be a different feeling for a lot of us, and some folks who have problems with their backs may want to reconsider this as an option.
But if you have a healthy back and you can get used to it, I am absolutely positive that you will see great results from this simple acid reflux remedy.
As for which one to choose? There are hundreds of different kinds of pillows out there.
Research the dimensions of the pillow, read some reviews, and look up the specs.
They can often times be a bit expensive so you'll want to find the pillow that's perfect for you and your body.
If you have a larger frame then you will want to buy a pillow that compensates.
If you tend to toss and turn a bit, you may want a pillow that will help you facilitate this kind of thing.
Along with a wedge pillow, you also need to take into consideration your meal schedule and when you eat food.
Get rid of those midnight snacks, they are only making your reflux worse.
Try to eat your bigger meals earlier in the day, and eat a smaller dinner.
Doctors tend to say that you shouldn't eat for 3 hours within your bed time, and I'd take that a bit further and say 4 hours if you can be a slow digester like I am.
Better to be safe than sorry.