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How Acid Reflux Complicates Asthma and What You Can Do About It

Aug 25, 2015
  • Medical Information
A man is experiencing GERD from something he ate

Managing the Combination of Asthma and GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) isn’t exactly an uncommon illness — about 30% of Americans have weekly bouts of heartburn, the principle symptom — but those with asthma are at a considerably higher risk. Doctors report that around 75% of asthmatics also suffer from GERD, which makes them more than twice as vulnerable as the rest of the population.

If you are one of the unlucky people who live with both conditions, rest assured that you can get relief. It’s important that you tweak your management plan to treat both the GERD and asthma: first learn what they may have in common and how they differ, then take steps to ease the irritation with gentle lifestyle changes and targeted medicine.

The Reciprocal Relationship between GERD and Asthma

There’s no clear consensus as to why the two diseases so often come together, but experts suspect that each disease can create the conditions for the other to flare up.

Acid Can Interfere With Airways

As acid backs up into the esophagus, it can damage the lining of the throat and airways, and eventually, strain the lungs. Initially, the effects may be mild – some shortness of breath and throat irritation – but in time, a chronic cough could develop.

Chronic reflux may also trigger a nerve response that causes the esophagus and airways to narrow in an attempt to keep acid from entering the throat. When this happens, you may struggle to inhale deeply, or feel breathless and wheezy.

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Asthma Treatment Can Trigger Reflux

Certain common asthma medications, namely theophylline and bronchodilators, are known to cause acid reflux. These can interfere with the pressure of the esophageal sphincter (LES), the mechanism that keeps the stomach acid from moving back up into the esophagus.

Asthma and GERD are very different disorders, although sometimes they are mistaken for each other. If your asthma isn’t responding well to conventional medicine, or you begin to develop symptoms in adulthood, your doctor should check to see if chronic acid reflux is at play.

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Anglea Finlay
Angela is a freelance writer and blogger committed to learning, understanding and communicating about the matters that affect daily life. From fitness and lifestyle, pregnancy and medical ailments, she has covered a range of health topics throughout her web writing career, contributing to major websites for over three years. See all of Anglea's articles
More Articles by Anglea
Resources
  • WebMD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD))
  • Cleveland Clinic (GERD and Asthma)
  • Healthline (GERD and Asthma)
  • Mayo Clinic (Is there a connection between asthma and acid reflux?)
  • WebMd (Heartburn and Asthma)
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