Silent reflux is a medical condition that affects the oesophagus. The word reflux means reverse movement. The stomach has some acids that could burn the throat or cause irritation when they get to it. These acids and other stomach contents move upwards towards the throat instead of their ordinary downward movement. Heartburn is almost similar to this; only that in this case, the contents of the stomach are not burning your throat. Instead, it makes your voice hoarse and could lead to excessive coughing. From its name, it is easy to tell how this condition affects the body.

What Is Silent Reflux and What Does It Do?

Silent reflux is also known as laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). The stomach contents, being acidic burn the vocal cords and food pipe. This is what causes the irritation and discomfort. It also makes one clear the throat too many times. This condition can be found across people of all ages, and it is treatable.

Symptoms

The adults that suffer from this condition feel like they have something stuck in their throats. It usually feels like a bubble of saliva is stuck in your oesophagus. You may also frequently clear your throat. When that ‘bubble’ feels bigger, it causes you to cough many times. Due to the burning of the acid, the voice becomes hoarse. You may also experience a taste in the back of your throat that is bitter.

For worse cases, it can even get your vocal cords swollen, and this can lead to having a hard time swallowing and breathing. These symptoms are rather silent compared to those of acid reflux because you do not feel the heartburn. In children, the symptoms are a little different. They tend to cough and vomit a lot. Growth is usually slower in children with this condition than those without. They may also get some respiratory diseases such as asthma. They also breathe noisily, have infections in the ear, difficulties with eating and inhale food or other solid particles into the lings.

Treatment

The best way to treat silent reflux is by maintaining a healthy feeding routine and generally living a healthy lifestyle. However, some OTC drugs can help treat this condition, such as antacids. They prevent acid from going back up and also relieve the irritation around the throat. For those who cough a lot, especially during the night, anti-histamines are a great remedy.…