Asthma and Acid Reflux: A Sinister Marriage of Two Diseases

Asthma is among a number of diseases that cause great discomfort and even disabilities to a large number of sufferers worldwide. Now the healthcare community have been noticing a rather consistent link between asthma and another troublesome condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or more generally known as acid reflux. The occurrence of these two ailments forms an ominous blend of symptoms that are certain to increase the irritation caused by either disease alone.

Several things can start an asthma attack in people who are prone to this lung disease. For some it takes as little as a small puff of cold breeze, a little whiff of dust, or a tense situation, among many other factors. Now it has been discovered that acid reflux can also start asthma episodes, particularly in adult patients.

Acid Reflux: What is it?

When people eat, the food goes through the mouth to the stomach through the throat and the esophagus. The esophagus is a slim tube that connects the throat to the stomach. In some people, the esophagus can get irritated and inflamed because of acid from the stomach backing up into the throat. This backing up of acid is known as acid reflux. Acid reflux can reach high up the throat, causing even more irritation and discomfort or triggering other illnesses such as asthma.

What are the causes of Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux may be caused by a failure of the lower esophageal sphincter or LES. The LES acts as the gatekeeper of the stomach. When people swallow, the LES opens to permit food particles and liquid into the stomach. Once food has passed through, the LES closes up to prevent the stomach's contents from returning to the esophagus.

Those that have acid reflux may have a faulty LES, which does not close correctly or opens at the wrong times. This causes acid and some digested food particles to return to the esophagus, causing a burning sensation due to irritation. This results in a condition that most people refer to as heartburn.

The Link between Acid Reflux and Asthma

It has been observed by many doctors specializing in asthma that people with asthma are also more likely to have a faulty LES. Furthermore, many reports have revealed that people with asthma who were treated for acid reflux also experienced some respite from the symptoms of asthma.

Acid reflux can trigger asthma symptoms in two ways. First, acid reflux may cause people to breathe minute droplets of acid into their lungs without them knowing it. This acid can aggravate the very fragile pulmonary lining and cause spasms in the bronchi or airways, which in turn can result in an asthma attack.

Second, recurring episodes of acid reflux may cause digestive acid to dissolve the esophageal lining and expose some parts of significant nerves that are connected to the lungs. The irritation of the nerve endings have been observed to also start the constriction of airways, which could then result in an asthma attack.

Is Acid Reflux Causing Your Asthma?

Asthmatic people may recognize that their asthma attacks are related to acid reflux if their asthma started only after reaching adulthood. Acid reflux is also suspected if asthma symptoms become more noticeable after eating a meal, at night, or after lying down for a while. It can also be noticeable if the usual asthma treatments do not work.

With the link between asthma and acid reflux being recognized, it is therefore sensible to check for gastroesophageal reflux disease. The combination of these two diseases can significantly hamper the quality of one's lifestyle and thus early detection is warranted.

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