Affecting over three million people annually, acid reflux is an extremely common disease where stomach acid shoots up into your esophagus and irritates it. If left untreated, acid reflux can cause irreversible damage to your food pipe. Did you know that you could have symptoms of the disease and not even know you have it, though? Here’s a list of six symptoms to see if you have it:
1. Feeling Like Food Is Stuck In Your Throat
Have you ever heard someone say they “have a frog stuck in their throat”? A reason they feel that way may be related to acid reflux. Acid can pile up in the middle of your food pipe, causing difficulty swallowing, coughing, and other issues. The sensation can even make you feel like your throat is on fire!
2. You’re Coughing A Lot
This may sound nasty, but it’s undeniable: if you suffer from acid reflux and cough a lot, it’s very likely that you’re getting stomach acid stuck in your airways or lungs. In order to get rid of it, you end up coughing, and the feeling can sometimes get worse after eating–when your stomach acid is it at its peak.
3. You Produce A Lot Of Saliva
There’s a disorder that makes you produce excess saliva out there–or you could just suffer from acid reflux. Lots of saliva may mean that your mouth is trying to keep the stomach acid at bay by acting as a washing machine for your throat. It’s pretty amazing how your body knows what’s going on like that!
4. You Have Pressure In Your Chest
An unfortunate part of having acid reflux is the fact that it can cause chest pain, which often can make you think that you’re having a heart attack because it makes the pain move to other body parts. However, you should contact your doctor right away or seek emergency help if you do suspect a real heart attack is happening.
5. Your Voice Is Rapsy Or Hoarse
Acid burns and causes inflammation where it touches, and stomach acid is no different. After long periods of exposure, the lining of your throat and your vocal chords can become inflamed, causing your voice to be hoarse or raspy.
6. You Have Gross-Smelling Breath
Do you feel like your breath smells awful even though you have great oral hygiene? Acid reflux may be the cause. People with the disease don’t digest food properly, which lets the food rot in your stomach and cause the juices to shoot up your throat with the acid, making your breath stink. Stomach acid is also naturally foul-smelling.
