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Check nowTrouble swallowing, or dysphagia, can be a distressing symptom, but this could be happening as a result of digestive issues such as acid reflux. Here our digestion expert Ali explains why these issues can go hand in hand, and which home, herbal and conventional remedies may be able to help.
Acid reflux occurs as a result of the improper functioning of the lower-oesophageal sphincter (LOS), a ring of smooth muscle which controls what enters the stomach from the oesophagus. In cases of acid reflux, the contents of the stomach are able to travel backwards and upwards, into the oesophagus which can cause pain, amongst a number of other symptoms.
Although, in many causes of acid reflux heartburn is one of the main symptoms, for others, more chronic symptoms may be apparent. For people who suffer from other conditions such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), or hiatus hernia, for example, can often experience more serious and debilitating symptoms such as trouble swallowing, or dysphagia.
Acid reflux occurs as the contents of our stomach travel backwards and upwards into our oesophagus. Although some may experience some pain and discomfort behind their ribcage, which we call heartburn, others, especially if experiencing recurrent digestive issues, the symptoms can be more serious.
Some more uncommon symptoms of acid reflux include a dry cough, hiccups, nausea or trouble swallowing. These symptoms are more likely to happen as a result of the contents bypassing, not just the LOS, but travelling further up the oesophagus towards the Upper-oesophageal sphincter (UOS), which sits nearer the back of your throat.
If this happens often, people can feel that they have trouble swallowing, that they have something stuck in their throat or they find that they cough or choke often when eating.
Recurrent acid reflux can also contribute to the formation of scar tissue in an around the oesophagus. This may cause a narrowing of this structure which can make swallowing more difficult.
If you struggle to swallow food regularly, it can lead to other complications, so you should always have this checked by your doctor.
If you find that you often have trouble swallowing and aren’t sure why, or your symptoms are severe, we would recommend you go to your doctor. Otherwise, there may be some steps you can take at home that can help:
If dysphagia as a result of acid reflux is a problem for you, there are some natural remedies which may come in useful:
Problems swallowing can be a serious problem, in which case you should go to your doctor. If acid reflux is the likely cause they may prescribe some antacid medication.Always beware of any side effects of medications and return to your GP if the problem persists.
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Check the health of your digestive system using our simple test.
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Acid reflux at night is an all-too-common problem, contributing to an estimated 7% of sleepless nights, which can lead to fatigue, increased anxiety or concentration lapses the following day.
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