Acidity is a common problem that affects most of us several times every month due to our unhealthy eating habits and generally sedentary lifestyle.
Although we quickly diagnose acidity or the presence of Gastro Esophagal Reflux Disease (GERD) by noticing symptoms such as heartburn or chest pain, bloating, belching, nausea, flatulence and/or regurgitation of eaten food back into the food pipe, most of us are unaware that chronic sore throat may also be an indication of acidity.
There are instances where people wonder why they are sore throat medicine it won’t work simply because they don’t realize it’s caused by acidity and not some other bacterial/viral infection which is the most common cause of sore throats.
Acidity and Sore Throat: The Correlation Between The Two
As excess acid produced in the stomach of a person affected by GERD is forced back up the food pipe, it causes irritation of the vocal cords and may also be accompanied by symptoms such as hoarseness and hoarseness of voice. In most cases, these symptoms are seen as indicative of a cold, completely oblivious to the fact that acid produced in the stomach is the main culprit.
Gastroenterologists have now confirmed that a large number of people affected by acidity complain of chronic sore throats and hoarseness, without realizing that they can be caused by acidity.
Your bad throat or hoarseness in it may be due to acidity if:
- If hoarseness or irritation of the throat occurs immediately after eating. Especially after a heavier meal.
- If you see this pattern repeating over a period of time.
- If you don’t notice other symptoms usually associated with a cold such as wheezing, coughing, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose even days after you have a sore throat.
If the reflux is REALLY strong and acid is being expelled from the stomach with excessive force, it may even get to the lungs and cause respiratory distress.
If you suspect that your breathing problems are caused by acidity or your doctor has reason to believe it, you can rule out the same possibility by taking a pH test. This test helps measure the amount of acid present in the food pipe over a 24-hour period and helps the diagnosing doctor know for sure whether you really have acid reflux.
In extreme cases, acid reflux or escaping of acids into the food pipe can even cause asthma, although this is very rare.
It is a common belief among doctors that there is a strong correlation between the two as a large number of asthma patients are known to suffer from acidity as well. And the reverse is just as good, which can be seen as an indicator of a relationship between the two.
Although in most cases acidity causes no other symptoms than a little restlessness and discomfort, a persistent sore throat, chronic hoarseness can be an indication of the presence of acidity.
To rule out the possibility, talk to your doctor at length about the same and fully describe your problem to know if indeed your bad throat is another result of your acidity and the complications that result from it.
