11/02/2022
Why does gastroesophageal reflux cause a lot of cough?
Cough is a condition that can happen to anyone and has many causes. Cough is not a disease but a symptom of many diseases, including cough caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (DD-TQ) or GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a digestive disorder that originates from the lower esophageal sphincter - a muscle ring. located at the border between the esophagus and stomach. In normal upper gastrointestinal motility, the lower esophageal sphincter opens to allow food from the esophagus to pass into the stomach and closes to prevent food and acidic gastric juices from moving. back up into the esophagus.
DD-TQ reflux will occur when this muscle ring weakens or encounters inappropriate relaxation conditions, facilitating gastric juice to flow into the esophagus. From there, the patient manifests symptoms, both in the gastrointestinal tract and in the oral cavity, throat and respiratory tract, such as a burning sensation in the chest or heartburn, belching, usually after eating, which is worse in the morning. night; chest pain, difficulty swallowing, severe cough, laryngitis, new or worsening asthma and sleep disturbances. Due to gastroesophageal reflux, local mucosal irritation leads to heartburn, burning sensation in the chest and especially prolonged cough, reducing the patient's quality of life.
In most cases, GERD can be relieved through diet and lifestyle changes; even so, some people may need prolonged medication or even surgery.
Why does DD-TQ reflux cause a lot of coughing?
Coughing is a reflex of the body to help clear the throat or to clear a foreign object that is obstructing the airway. Coughing is often an active behavior, so it should be differentiated from a cough with a medical cause. A cough that lasts less than 3 weeks is an acute cough. Most of these conditions will stop or improve significantly within 2 weeks. If it persists for 3-8 weeks and improves at the end, it is called a subacute cough. A cough that persists for more than 8 weeks or longer is considered a chronic cough. Of the causes of chronic cough, the possibility of gastric acid reflux into the esophagus should be suspected in the setting of GERD.
Although a chronic cough is not a typical symptom of GERD, GERD accounts for at least 25% of the origins of chronic coughs. There is an interplay between coughing and acid reflux. Acid reflux causes chronic coughing, while the cough reflex makes acid reflux worse. There are two possible mechanisms to explain this: First, coughing is thought to be a reflex action when there is an increase in acid from the stomach into the esophagus to protect the airways. The second mechanism is that reflux moves up and out of the esophagus, small drops of stomach acid fall into the throat, causing coughing. This type of reflux is called laryngeal reflux. Not only that, when stomach acid comes into contact with the vocal cords and throat, GERD can cause inflammation that leads to symptoms such as hoarseness, a feeling that something is stuck in the throat, or pharyngitis and tonsillitis. long. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the link that exists between chronic cough and GERD.
How to prevent cough caused by reflux DD-TQ
Chronic cough greatly affects the quality of life of patients. Therefore, certain lifestyle changes can help people with chronic cough caused by acid reflux to improve this symptom very effectively, especially for those with mild to moderate symptoms. Accordingly, people with a chronic cough caused by acid reflux can make the following lifestyle changes to improve their symptoms:
Maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI) in the average range. This can relieve a certain amount of pressure on the stomach, reducing the amount of stomach acid forcing up the esophagus. Quitting smoking reduces the symptoms of GERD. Eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and avoiding overeating are necessary measures when suffering from GERD. Eating large meals at once will inhibit the closure of the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach acid to rise up into the esophagus. Certain foods and drinks that trigger acid reflux should be limited, such as alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, citrus, foods that are rich in flavors such as sour, spicy, mint, garlic, onions, fried foods or foods. high-fat products. Do not lie down immediately after or during a meal. People should wait about 3 hours after a meal for gastric juices to be digested before lying down. Elevate your head while sleeping to reduce the amount of acid entering the esophagus. Wear loose-fitting clothes to keep your body comfortable. This also indirectly reduces pressure on the stomach.
People with GERD who have a cough should consult a doctor to treat their GERD and limit coughing. For the average person, when a cough lasts for a long time, it is necessary to think about the possibility of GERD and should visit a doctor, find the cause and properly treat it, avoiding prolonged sometimes leading to complications that are difficult to control.
