{"id":429,"date":"2019-08-16T11:50:03","date_gmt":"2019-08-16T18:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.168.1.67\/sandiegoent\/silent-reflux\/"},"modified":"2019-10-30T16:46:44","modified_gmt":"2019-10-30T23:46:44","slug":"silent-reflux","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/throat\/throat-overview\/silent-reflux\/","title":{"rendered":"Silent Reflux\/Laryngopharyngeal Reflux"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>Silent Reflux Can Cause<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"column_md\"><li>Hoarseness&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/li><li>Trouble\nswallowing<\/li><li>Excess\nmucus<\/li><li>Throat\nclearing<\/li><li>Sensation\nof a lump in the throat<\/li><li>Chronic\ncough<\/li><li>Breathing\nproblems<\/li><li>Vocal\ncord scarring<\/li><li>Post-nasal\ndrip<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2>What is Silent Reflux? What is Laryngopharyngeal Reflux?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) is a term that refers to the backflow of food or stomach acid coming all the way back into the larynx (voice box) or pharynx (throat). This can happen in the daytime or evening. LPR is also referred as extraesophageal reflux.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Many People with LPR DO NOT\nHave Heartburn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some may experience the\ndiscomfort of heartburn, but many people with LPR do not have heartburn. This\nis why LPR is called Silent Reflux: it often produces no serious symptoms and\ncan be difficult to diagnose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over half the people who have\nLPR never experience heartburn. This is because the material that refluxes does\nnot stay in the esophagus for a long period of time, so the acid does not have\nenough time to irritate the esophagus and cause heartburn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, even if a small\namount of refluxed material makes it all the way up the throat, problems can\noccur because the voice box is more sensitive and susceptible to irritation\nthan the esophagus. LPR can sometimes affect the lungs and interfere with\nbreathing, as well. When heartburn is absent many patients are incorrectly\nadvised they do not have a problem with reflux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>How Do I Know if I Have LPR?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Signs of LPR include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"column_md\"><li>Throat clearing<\/li><li>Cough<\/li><li>Sensation of lump in the throat<\/li><li>Hoarseness<\/li><li>Difficulty swallowing &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/li><li>Nasal or throat discharge<\/li><li>Excess mucus <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2>What Kind of Problems Can LPR Cause and Are They Serious?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>LPR can cause serious issues\nlike choking, breathing problems (asthma or bronchitis), scarring of the voice\nbox and windpipe, noisy breathing and in rare cases cancer of the esophagus,\nthroat or voice box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>What Tests Might My Doctor Order?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common tests for LPR\nare: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>24-hour pH monitoring. This overnight (non-hospital) test measures\nacid in the esophagus and throat. It can be mildly uncomfortable, but not\npainful. A pH probe is placed through the nose and stays in the throat\novernight. It is connected to a small computer box worn around the waist.\nWireless pH testing is also used in certain cases. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Esophagoscopy. The patient swallows a small, narrow\nendoscope to evaluate any abnormalities of the larynx, esophagus and upper\nstomach, particularly inflammatory changes and damage to the food pipe. This\nprocedure can often be done in-office without sedation and is sometimes\nreferred to as transnasal esophagoscopy or TNE.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2>How is LPR Treated?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Treatment for LPR is\ncustomized to the individual. Generally, there are three levels of treatment\nfor reflux: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Changing habits and diet to reduce reflux. <\/li><li>Medications to reduce stomach acid. <\/li><li>Surgery to reduce reflux.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2>Will I Need LPR Treatment Forever?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people require treatment\nfor a long period of time, while others may need only periodic treatment.\nPeople often recover for months or years then have a relapse. This is because\nLPR is a chronic-intermittent disease. When treated, LPR usually does not cause\nserious medical issues, but without treatment, LPR can be quite serious. For\npeople with severe LPR or those who cannot take reflux medications, anti-reflux\nsurgery may be recommended. People who undergo surgery usually experience\nrelief for many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Tips for Reducing Reflux and LPR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If\nyou use tobacco, QUIT NOW.<\/li><li>Do\nnot wear tight clothing around the waist. <\/li><li>Do\nnot eat within three hours of bedtime or lie down just after eating. <\/li><li>Eat\na low-fat diet. <\/li><li>Avoid\nfried foods, chocolate, cheese and eggs. <\/li><li>Avoid\ncoffee, tea, soda, acidic juices and mints. <\/li><li>Avoid\nalcoholic beverages, especially in the evening.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Silent Reflux Can Cause Hoarseness&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Trouble swallowing Excess mucus Throat clearing Sensation of a lump in the throat Chronic cough Breathing problems Vocal cord scarring Post-nasal drip What is Silent Reflux? What is Laryngopharyngeal Reflux? Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) is a term that refers to the backflow of food or stomach acid coming all the way&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":254,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","schema":"","fname":"","lname":"","position":"","credentials":"","placeID":"","no_match":false,"name":"","company":"","review":"","address":"","city":"","state":"","zip":"","lat":"","lng":"","phone1":"","phone2":"","fax":"","mon1":"","mon2":"","tue1":"","tue2":"","wed1":"","wed2":"","thu1":"","thu2":"","fri1":"","fri2":"","sat1":"","sat2":"","sun1":"","sun2":"","hours-note":""},"service_tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/429"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/429\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"service_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegoent.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/service_tags?post=429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}