Dos
- Do avoid eating within three hours of going to bed
- Do reduce coffee, alcohol, fatty food and carbonated drinks if they trigger symptoms
- Do raise the head of your bed if night-time symptoms are prominent
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (Silent Reflux)
Consultant-led diagnosis and treatment for laryngopharyngeal reflux — "silent reflux" — where stomach contents irritate the throat and voice box.
What is the condition?
Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) occurs when stomach acid and contents travel up past the oesophagus and irritate the throat and larynx. Unlike classic heartburn, LPR often causes little or no burning sensation in the chest, which is why it is sometimes called "silent" reflux — many patients are unaware acid reflux is the cause of their symptoms.
Symptoms
What to look out for?
Symptoms are centred on the throat and voice rather than the chest, and can be intermittent, making the condition easy to overlook.
- Chronic throat clearing and a persistent cough
- A sensation of a lump in the throat (globus)
- Hoarseness, particularly first thing in the morning
- A sour or bitter taste, or excess throat mucus
Treatment
What can be done?
Treatment starts with dietary and lifestyle changes alongside acid-suppressing medication. Nasal endoscopy or video stroboscopy is used to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes of throat symptoms.
- Dietary and lifestyle modification
- Acid-suppressing medication (e.g. proton pump inhibitors)
- Nasal endoscopy to assess the throat and larynx
Prevention
What should I do?
Don'ts
- Don't lie down soon after a large meal
- Don't assume throat symptoms without heartburn rule out reflux as the cause