How do antacids help someone with heartburn?

In order to neutralize acid you must use an "anti" acid chemical or natural biological. That is what antacids do. They neutralize acid and the burn from the excessive acid or refluxing acid. The acid in your stomach is stronger than battery acid so you can see why it burns in the esophagus. So you add an alkali type of product and it will neutralize it. Milk will help. Products like Gaviscon or Malox will do too. Believe it or not your own saliva does neutralize heartburn. One of nature's many sources of checks and balances. The main thing is to PREVENT heartburn. This will reduce the occurrences of the acid burning the esophagus. Generics of products like Zantac do a dandy job of it for a reasonable price. The higher the dosage the better. Such as Zantac comes in 75 mg. or 150 mg. So if you get severe heartburn it is better to use 175 mg. Now, if heartburn products are not neutralizing the acid or you get it everyday you must see your general practitioner doctor or your gastroenterologist.

It is bad to let heartburn continue unchecked because the stomach acid will burn holes in the esophagus.