Acid Reflux Throat Irritation

The throat irritation which is caused as a result reflux, is also termed as Gastroesophageal reflux or a Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR).

• Gastroesophageal Reflux: Gastroesophageal reflux is an acid reflux that occurs in the digestive tract. The gastroesophageal reflux occurs when the acids that are produced by the digestive system flow in an opposite direction, that is towards the oral cavity.
• Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Laryngopharyngeal reflux, is another type of reflux. The Laryngopharyngeal reflux is actually a part of gastroesophageal reflux. However, a particular reflux is referred to as Laryngopharyngeal reflux, when the bodily fluids reach the esophagus and sphincter muscles.

From the above two definitions, you may have realized that acid reflux, Gastroesophageal reflux and Laryngopharyngeal reflux, are one and the same. The terms Laryngopharyngeal and Gastroesophageal are used to indicate the organs and system that the reflux affects. Gastroesophageal reflux affects the gastrointestinal tract and Laryngopharyngeal reflux affects the larynx and pharynx. It is important that we know the meaning of acid reflux, before proceeding to the symptoms. Throat as an organ is one of the invariably affected parts of the human body, during a Laryngopharyngeal reflux.

What is Acid Reflux?

The community of medical practitioners, in common parlance, term the throat affecting reflux as Laryngopharyngeal reflux or Gastroesophageal reflux. Irrespective of the term used, reflux that irritates the throat, and causes symptoms that are not at all pleasant. During a reflux, the fluids that are acidic in nature travel towards the esophagus, which is a passage between the stomach and pharynx. The esophagus is an important part of the digestive system, as it conveys the food and fluids from the oral cavity to the stomach. The esophagus consists of two important sphincter muscles, namely the lower muscle and the upper muscle. In cases where the lower muscle is not functioning properly, the refluxed acid enters the esophagus. There are also cases where the acid has reached the mouth across the throat, due to the malfunction of upper muscle. This kind of malfunction leads to acute acid reflux. In some cases the reflux has never been detected due to the absence of throat irritation.

Related Symptoms of Acid Reflux

Apart from throat irritation, there are several other symptoms of a reflux that accompany the throat irritation. Some of them have been listed below.

• constant clearing of throat
• irritation of throat
• chronic cough
• troubled vocal cords
• wheezing
• heartburn

Simple Precautions for Acid Reflux

There are some simple precautions that one can take in order to minimize or totally eliminate the problem of reflux.

• One of the simplest remedies is to elevate the torso while sleeping. This ensures that the fluids do not travel in the opposite direction.
• Using a humidifier to put moisture in the air is also a very effective remedy, as the moist air does not make you cough frequently.
• Gargling with salt water in the morning, intake of fluids that soothe the stomach, avoiding spicy food during the evenings, are some of the easy diet related remedies that prevent a acid reflux throat irritation.
• One can also avoid sore throat and irritation by increasing the intake of normal water and juices. It is also recommended to avoid late night alcoholic drinks and aerated drinks.

There are several other treatments for reflux, such as, reflux diet plan or medications which are often prescribed by the doctors. However, it is much easier to follow simple home remedies, which end up working the best way.