Acid Reflux Cough - Do You Have A Chronic Cough For No Apparent Reason?
If you’ve ever had a persistent cough and weren’t sure about the cause, it likely never crossed your mind that it might be associated to acid reflux. This is due to the fact that there seems to be a lack of a relationship between the two. A cough is far more frequently a symptom of the common cold or long time smoking or case of bronchitis or pneumonia. It’s rarely thought of as a symptom of acid reflux.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the medical term for what we know as acid reflux. When stomach acid washes back into the esophagus, inducing irritation and damage to the lining, it’s referred to as acid reflux. The regurgitated acid most often consists of a few compounds: acid, bile, and pepsin. Stomach acid is used in the digestion of food and can be a major irritant to the esophagus due to its tendency to damage tissues.
The symptoms of acid reflux include nausea, burping, a sore throat, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, a pain in the chest that’s often misidentified as a heart attack, and in some cases chronic coughing. In fact, nearly three out of every four sufferers experience night time symptoms (such as coughing, snoring, and chest pain) that are not usually considered typical acid reflux symptoms. One of these is a nagging cough. When stomach acid rises to the vocal cords and is passed to the lower airway, a chronic cough can be the outcome.
It takes only a small amount of acid in the lower airway to trigger coughing. This is why it’s so easy to overlook the association between acid reflux and a chronic cough, because there’s often so little acid involved that no other symptoms become apparent. In fact, they may not even have heartburn in the traditional sense, considering that there’s little or no damage to the lining of the esophagus when the acid level is so limited.
If your cough isn’t accompanied by other general symptoms of a cold or bronchitis, this is an indication that something else is creating the trouble. Though you can experience an acid reflux cough without experiencing any of the other symptoms of GERD, if you’re experiencing both, then it’s time to visit with your doctor. He can help you determine whether or not your cough is acid reflux related.
There’s another clue that you might wish to consider as well. Most people will turn to cough syrup when they have a persistent cough. Surprisingly, an acid reflux cough likely won’t respond to cough syrup. Yet, it may very well respond to an antacid. If that’s your situation, it’s a definite indication that it’s not an standard cough.
Other than antacids, your doctor may prescribe something stronger. If your acid reflux is unrelenting, this may include a proton pump inhibitor such as Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix, or Aciphex. These medications are designed to reduce acid production, which permits the lining of the esophagus an opportunity to mend. Side effects, however, can include abdominal pain, diarrhea and headaches.
When your chronic cough is the consequence of a mild case of acid reflux, you may only need to make a few lifestyle changes in order to get it under control. For example, it helps if you eat six smaller meals during the day instead of three big meals. Because people generally sleep in a prone position, which places more pressure on the esophageal sphincter, it’s wise to wait at least three hours after eating before you go to bed at night. You’ll want to avoid foods that are commonly associated with GERD, such as chocolate, dairy products, fried foods, and citrus fruits. These little modifications may very well be all you need to put an to your acid reflux cough.
