Many people have been complaining of long-lasting coughs, which experts say could be due to a lack of exposure to common viruses during the Covid pandemic.
If you haven’t had a cold recently, your cough could be caused by allergies. The NHS says coughing can occur in allergies to tree and gas pollen, house dust mites and cats and dogs.
But if your cough persists after taking allergy medication, the cause could be something else, said gastroenterologist Dr Joseph Salhab.
Offering advice on his TikTok channel, Dr Salhab said: “Most people don’t know this medical fact, but a constant need to clear your throat, a sour taste in your mouth, a constant chronic cough, a feeling of a sensation in your neck may not actually be from allergies. It could be from acid reflux. And when it tickles the voice box it can cause you to chronically cough. ”
Dr Salhab said this syndrome is called laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).
He continued: “Sometimes people with LPR don’t have the regular symptoms of acid reflux which kind of makes it tricky to diagnose, and this is the reason why it’s often confused with allergies.”
If you have these symptoms and you take allergy medications, you should talk to your doctor about LPR.
Dr Salhab added: “Maybe see a gastroenterologist who can work you up for acid reflux.
“The treatment for LPR includes a lot of the treatments for acid reflux, which includes dietary changes, weight loss and sometimes antacid therapy.”
Laryngopharyngeal reflux is where the contents of your stomach flow back up into your oesophagus and all the way to the throat and/or the voice box, says the NHS.
Symptoms to look out for include:
- hoarseness/weakness of the voice
- Excessive throat clearing
- Chronic dry cough
- Excess mucus/phlegm (particularly in the morning) in the throat
- Bitter/nasty/“acid” taste in the mouth
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Feeling of a lump or tightness in the throat
- Burning/dryness in the throat
- Sore throat
- Occasional difficulty in breathing
- Exacerbation of asthma – asthma is more difficult to control when complicated by reflux
- Choking or coughing episodes, especially at night
- Excessive burping, particularly during the day
If you experience any of these symptoms, speak to your GP.
