Laryngopharyngeal reflux is a very common condition in the population and it is the rise of the contents of the stomach up to the throat. The symptoms, as well as the causes and possible treatments, are many but in order to better face the situation it will be necessary to know at least the basics.
Laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms
Among the many symptoms that we will see there is one in particular that represents the one most accused by patients and it is the alteration and reduction of the voice, or dysphonia, furthermore the classic heartburn is not among those that manifest themselves in a absolute. The other symptoms, which can appear singly or in combination are:
- lump in the throat, which is the sensation of a foreign body in the back of the throat;
- constant need to erupt;
- persistent bitter taste inside the mouth;
- difficulty swallowing and breathing;
- large amounts of mucus;
- sore throat;
- constant (even unconscious) desire to clear the throat;
- cough.
In children, however, there are other additional symptoms that may appear such as sleep apnea or even episodes of cyanosis.
Causes and dangers of laryngopharyngeal reflux
To simply define this condition we can say that reflux is caused by a malfunction of the valves that connect the stomach and the esophagus thus allowing the stomach contents to rise again. This can cause a lot of damage because the stomach contents have a much more acidic pH than the esophagus and that’s why it’s important to act now to avoid more serious damage. The causes of the onset of reflux are:
- slowed stomach emptying;
- taking medications such as aspirin;
- hiatal hernia;
- malfunctions of the valve that regulates the flow between the stomach and the esophagus;
- excessive consumption of fried or fatty foods and alcoholic beverages and coffee;
- obesity or overweight conditions;
- smoking habit.
It should be added that pregnancy could be a cause of this condition and is due to two factors: a physical one, given the enlargement of the uterus, and a chemical one due to hormones.
Treatment for laryngopharyngeal reflux
In most cases with laryngopharyngeal reflux we proceed with a pharmacological treatment; however, since it is a condition that very often affects lifestyle, a style change can still give an effective result. Furthermore, in the most serious cases, it is also possible to proceed surgically but these are really serious cases. The drugs involved in the treatments are mostly H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors, this reduces the formation of gastric acids, consequently reducing heartburn and reflux.
Da leggere: Reflusso gastrico: cibi e abitudini alimentari assolutamente da evitare
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