What Is A Sour Stomach? 

Remedies For Sour Stomach Relief

The goal of this article is to give you information about the most common questions regarding sour stomach. What is a sour stomach? What is the cause of sour stomach? What are the symptoms of sour stomach? And what are the remedies for sour stomach?

What is a sour stomach? Sour stomach is a common catchall term for what is also known as indigestion. Sour stomach is the most common of stomach problems, accounting for about 70 percent of all gastrointestinal complaints.

According to Johns Hopkins University, about one fourth of Americans are suffering some form of sour stomach or indigestion at any given time. One person in twenty who visits their primary care physician is likely to be there because of sour stomach symptoms. Women are more likely to get it than men. Incidence of indigestion and sour stomach seem to remain stable or even decline with age.

Symptoms of sour stomach Sour stomach causes you to feel uncomfortable because your digestive system is having trouble processing the contents of your stomach after you've eaten. Besides feeling too full and perhaps a little bloated, you may have acid reflux or "heartburn." This feeling is caused by powerful stomach acid erupting into your esophagus and causing irritation in tender tissues there.

There's also the classic "sour taste in your mouth" that helps gives sour stomach its name. Another name for this type of indigestion is dyspepsia, which includes a variety of upper abdominal "disturbances:" bloated stomach, burping, belching, stomach gas and sometimes, nagging pain above the navel and general discomfort.

Sour stomach causes Sour stomach usually occurs when you've over-eaten, eaten too fast, or eaten something that your digestive system will have trouble processing.

Esophageal spasms and weak esophageal contractions are among the other possibilities. These are known medically as dismotility disorders. Any number of medications may trigger sour stomach symptoms, including aspirin and other NSAIDS, certain antibiotics, theophylline, digitalis, corticosteroids, iron, niacin, and certain chemotherapy drugs.

Most of the time, sour stomach is caused by less serious problems. But there are also sour stomach causes that could indicate symptoms of a medical problem that needs attention, including

• gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, which is characterized by upper abdominal pain that many people know as "heartburn."
• stomach ulcers, which cause periodic episodes of upper abdominal pain. Stomach ulcer pain can sometimes be so severe that it keeps the sufferer awake at night.

Sour stomach can also be a symptom of stomach cancer, but it's rare.

Remedies for sour stomach If you have occasional episodes of sour stomach, you can generally get relief by taking antacids and histamine (H2) blockers. These remedies for sour stomach are available over-the-counter. Antacids neutralize stomach acid, which can cause inflammation in the stomach (also known as gastritis) and the esophagus. Antacids are intended for quick relief of sour stomach symptoms. Examples includes calcium carbonate (which is the main ingredient in Tums and a number of other medications) and magnesium salts (found in Mylanta, among others)

H2 blockers work by suppressing the production of stomach acids, giving irritated tissues an opportunity to heal. These include such as cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), and ranitidine (Zantac).

When the medications mentioned above are effective, there is no reason to seek professional medical advice. However, if sour stomach symptoms persist and recur often, it's time to talk to your doctor.

Pay special attention to when you feel better and when you feel worse. This will help with a diagnosis. Your doctor will also want to know if over-the-counter medications help. 

Related information: upset stomach, stomach cramps, stomach problems after eating.