How to neutralize spicy food in stomach

Spicy food usually triggers acidity and causing burning sensation and now the question arises “how to neutralize spicy food in stomach”. The query of how to neutralize spicy food in stomach has a number of remedies and before that a number of causes leading to the question and the cause.

Stomach is the bag like structure of the alimentary canal and digests the food eaten. Stomach wall contains a number of cells, some releasing acid and some releasing other enzymes and factors required for digestion and other processes of absorption carried in the intestines. Stomach lining is susceptible to breaks and ulcers and thus mucous layer is always protecting the stomach.

All the remedies and other important tips will be discussed in the article below:

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How to neutralize spicy food in stomach

Spicy food has certain components like capsaicin which causes irritation in the stomach lining which results in burning sensation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. These spicy foods are risk factors for people especially with the underlying conditions like Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), Peptic ulcer disease (PUD), Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and itself causes irritation and inflammation of the gut lining, food allergies. These spicy foods can also result in dehydration which can lead a person to the hospital for fluid replacement therapy. Symptoms can be categorized as:

After having a spicy meal and experiencing its consequences, there is a question which arises “How to neutralize spicy food in stomach”. Sometimes after having the spicy feel, the sensation and symptoms may linger and worsen at times and the need to neutralize the food becomes the need of time.

There are a number of ways to carry out this process and help the patient get a sigh of relief. These home-remedies help to counterbalance the acidity in the stomach:

  1. Drink adequate milk: Milk is the first thing that should be fetched for when facing the problems of acidity. Milk cuts through all of the capsaicin in the food and when the milk is not available look foe yogurt, ice-cream, cheese etc. These milk products are mostly alkaline in nature thus neutralizing the acidity and thus removing burning sensation. These dairy products should however be taken in limited amounts because fat can stimulate stomach to produce more acid.

 

  1. Taking starch: Starch can help you get relief from the acidity in the stomach. Plain rice and even plain potatoes in adequate and limited amount can help in the process.

 

  1. Eating fruit: Usually fruits are acidic in nature but taking these fruits like oranges, pineapples, strawberries or lime n warm water can act with alkaline properties and neutralize the acidity. Bananas help in combating irritation and acidity by coating lining of gut. Bananas also have high fiber content that helps to ward off diarrhea. Melons are also alkaline and can help in neutralizing acid.

 

  1. Baking soda with water: A readily available remedy for treating acidity can lie in dinking baking soda with water at the time of attack of an acid reflux due to spicy food. This combination can help you get relief from the burning sensation of acid in stomach.

 

  1. Ginger: Ginger can be a reliving factor in number of cases for heartburn in addition to nausea. Having ginger tea, ginger root and other suitable forms of ginger and to avoid carbonated beverages can help you get a sigh of relief.

 

  1. Licorice supplements: Licorice is a compound that can be used to treat heartburn and neutralize acid in the stomach. Licorice has been seen to increase the mucosal coating in the lining of esophagus and thus protecting from the adverse effects of acidity. However, licorice can subject you to a risk of high blood pressure that is why taking a consultation from the doctor should be made.

 

 

  1. Apple cider vinegar sip: Having diluted apple cider vinegar after a meal can help the person to neutralize the stomach acid. Vinegar itself being alkaline neutralizes the acid in the stomach after having a spicy meal.

 

  1. Chew gum: Chewing gum for duration o half an hour can help in reducing the acid content in your stomach by producing more saliva and swallowing it. This process can help to dilute the acid and also helps in clearing stomach acid from the stomach.

 

  1. Eating some sweet food: Sugar, honey and even having a milk chocolate rather than dark can help you get relief from the acidity and to neutralize the stomach acid after having spicy food.

Some over-the- counter medications cab help definitely when all of the above treatments and remedies would fail. These medications include: Antacids, H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). These antacids like cimetidine, famotidine can help to reduce the already present acid in the stomach but H2 blockers and PPIs can help with the further secretion of acid from the parietal cells of the stomach and thus reduce the heartburn and other associated symptoms.

Prevention

All these steps are to be taken after having a spicy meal but it is better to avoid the spicy meal at first place or you can add a number of things into your spicy meal to reduce the number of spicy components that cause irritation and acidity. This includes: Adding sweetener into the food or even adding some little bit of fat components like nuts into the food, or directly adding some dairy products like milk, yoghurt or cream can reduce the acid components of spicy food and can be taken as a preventive measure.

 

Complications of heartburn and hyperacidity

Avoidance of triggers is the best way to treat the situation from arising and from taking any measure to reduce the heartburn and acidity. However, due to continuous  and untreated episodes of hyperacidity and heartburn can land a patient into a number of complications. These complications are:

 

  1. Stricture: Stricture or narrowing of the esophagus is one of the complications in which due to the acid reflux. This acid reflux can be due to a number of reasons and can get exacerbated due to spicy foods and some other triggers. The stricture caused by acid reflux is usually benign and inflammation can result into scar and fibrous tissue. This causes narrowing of the esophagus and makes it difficult to swallow., unintended weight loss, heartburn and burping, along with hiccups. Treatment involves lifestyle modifications and medicines, and in refractory cases surgery might be an indication.

 

  1. Esophagitis: This inflammation results due to the continuous reflux or GERD. Esophagitis can cause manifestations like pain, difficult swallowing and chest pain. Esophagitis has a number of causes which includes infections, some medications and allergies. The chronicity caused by the acid reflux can cause tissue damage and scarring. Treatment can be done by treating the underlying cause and avoiding triggers and spicy foods i.e., a good lifestyle modification.

 

  1. Ulcerations/ bleeding: Reflux if left untreated or is continuous can erode and cause ulceration of the lining of the esophagus. Reflux is caused to the defective closure of the lower esophageal sphincter which results in backflow of acid and erodes the lining causing ulcers which can be shallow or deep. Ulcerations can be painful and even bleed at times which can land a person into trouble and lead to hospitalization. Treatment is always based on treating the underlying condition, lifestyle modifications and medications and some cases surgery might be an indication.

 

  1. Aspiration pneumonia: Aspiration pneumonia involves inhaling food items, stomach acid, saliva into the lungs and is a condition caused by number of factors including underlying diseases like neurological disorders, sedatives, weakened immune system, esophageal disorders. There are a risk factors for aspiration pneumonia like impaired consciousness, stroke, impaired mental status, heartburn (GERD). Aspiration pneumonia can be diagnosed by a number of tests and imaging. Treatment depends on the severity of pneumonia involving antibiotics and in some cases hospitalization.

 

Takeaway

 Neutralizing the acid in the stomach becomes the time of need when the spicy food is eaten and causes irritation in the stomach along with some other manifestations of heartburn, nausea, vomiting and even diarrhea.

Proper care should be taken by susceptible individuals with underlying diseases like GERD, IBS and food allergies. Having some sweetener milk or some other dairy product after spicy food can really help the patient get a sigh of relief. Avoiding spicy food can be the first choice you can make to avoid any pain, heartburn and in the end those complications. Minimalizing the spicy food by adding some milk or butter wit fats in it to cut down some of capsaicin in it, or adding some sweetener into it.

Getting a hold on your cravings and focusing on your health can really help to avoid any cumbersome process during making the food and in steps taken after that, since a healthy gut can lead to a happy brain and happy life.