Could My Persistent Sore Throat Be Caused by GERD?

The problem with a sore throat is that it’s a symptom of a wide range of conditions, some harmless and some life-threatening. Suppose it comes in combination with certain other symptoms, such as a cough, sore throat, or difficulty breathing. It may indicate gastroesophageal reflux (GER) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

At Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota, Dr. John Bollins and our skilled team have helped many patients overcome the pain and discomfort of GERD using minimally invasive, robotic-assisted anti-reflux surgery. While it’s not the first line of treatment, it’s a great option when medications have failed. Here’s how to tell if GERD is responsible for your sore throat.

Your stomach on acid

Your stomach takes quite the trip every time you eat. Partially digested food from the mouth travels down the esophagus through coordinated muscle action. When it reaches the stomach, the upper muscle relaxes to let the food enter, and then the lower muscle mixes food with enzymes and strong acids to digest it further.

The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) normally remains tightly closed once the food goes through the stomach. However, if the LES is damaged in any way, it may not close completely, and the acid can make its way up the esophagus, where it doesn’t belong. There, it inflames the esophageal tissues, causing a burning pain near the sternum called heartburn.

Occasional acid reflux is certainly uncomfortable, but it’s not a disease. But some people have reflux all the time. Chronic acid reflux, defined as having episodes of heartburn at least twice a week for several weeks,  can affect your quality of life, and it can also do serious damage to your tissues. GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease, the chronic form of acid reflux.

Common conditions include occasional, uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD affects some 20% of adults and 10% of children in the US.

Symptoms of GERD

Symptoms of acid reflux and GERD may include:

• Regurgitation: acid, food, or liquids backwash from your stomach into your throat after eating
• A burning sensation in the esophagus: in your chest, it’s called heartburn; closer to your stomach, it’s acid indigestion
• Non-cardiac chest pain: non-burning pain from the esophagus triggers the same nerves as heart-related pain
• Nausea: from acid overflow or backwash
• Nausea: from acid overflow or backwash
• Sore throat: feels like there’s a lump in your throat, or it’s hard to swallow; happens at night
• Asthma symptoms: chronic coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath; acid particles in airways make them contract

So, yes, your sore throat may be related to GERD. It helps to sleep on an incline so acid can’t move up the esophagus to the throat.

Treating GERD

At Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota, we first treat GERD with medications that neutralize stomach acids, either alone or combined with medications that decrease or block acid production.

We also recommend lifestyle changes to reduce reflux, such as avoiding spicy or acidic foods, losing weight, and elevating the head of your bed.

If you don’t improve with conservative treatments, we offer anti-reflux surgery. This minimally invasive procedure treats GERD. Dr. Bollins and the surgical team perform robotic-assisted anti-reflux surgery using the da Vinci® Surgical System whenever possible. If they encounter problems like dense scar tissue, they may need to switch to an open procedure.

Anti-reflux surgery is known as fundoplication. Dr. Bollins wraps the top of your stomach around the LES, strengthening it and restoring its ability to close fully, preventing acid from moving up the esophagus.

If you’re dealing with a sore throat that doesn’t seem to be coming from a virus, especially if you’re having pain and burning in your stomach and esophagus, too, you’re likely dealing with GERD. Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota can help. Contact us by calling our office in Hibbing, Duluth, Cloquet, or Ely, Minnesota, or booking your appointment online.

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