Symptoms of Acid Reflux Are Surprisingly Varied?

Answer 1

People usually think of burning in the chest or throat as symptoms of acid reflux, but this doesn't always occur and as a result many people don't realize they're having reflux. Since untreated acid reflux can have serious health implications, it is important to recognize symptoms when they occur so treatment can begin. Below are some lesser-known symptoms of acid reflux to watch out for.

Poor Sleep

Acid reflux occurs more easily when lying down, especially after eating a large meal as many do at the end of the day. Reflux that occurs when you are sleeping can awaken you repeatedly due to pain in the throat and chest, preventing you from getting enough sleep, or any deep sleep. Many never realize that reflux is what is waking them up. Therefore, unexplained daytime exhaustion could be the result of undiagnosed nighttime acid reflux. There is mounting evidence of a connection between reflux and sleep apnea, as well. Sleep apnea can occur when stomach acid and contents are breathed in, interrupting lung function temporarily and at least partially awakening the sufferer. Again, the patient may not even realize that reflux-induced apnea is ruining their sleep. Since sleep apnea increases heart attack risk significantly, this is potentially a very serious situation that should be treated as soon as possible.

Other Symptoms

Some acid reflux patients never get any burning in their chest or throat, instead experiencing symptoms such as itching or tickling in the throat or lungs. This indicates that acid is being ejected far up into the throat. If it is causing tickling in the lungs, this means that stomach acid or vapors from stomach acid are being aspirated, possibly causing sleep apnea at night. Aspiration of stomach acid also commonly causes feelings of shortness of breath during the daytime. Finally, acid may even reflux all the way up into the mouth, causing tooth decay and an unpleasant acidic taste in the mouth.