Affecting the Throat
The acidic juices that are pushed back into the esophagus from the stomach cause acid reflux throat. The affected person's throat is irritated by the presence of acid contained in the partially digested food regurgitated from stomach. Persistent reflux of acid can cause back of the throat or pharyngeal symptoms leading to sore throat and voice problems. Such laryngo-pharyngeal symptoms, unlike the typical heartburn associated with GERD that a person can easily identify with, may catch the victim unawares and are therefore known as silent or atypical reflux.
Symptoms
Symptoms of acid reflux throat include accumulation of excessive phlegm or mucous in the throat inducing frequent throat clearing leading to hoarse or sore throat, feeling a lump in the throat, a sensation of choking and wheezing. There remains a lingering sensation in the throat of a coating or stuck food. The problem is particularly pronounced in the morning. The voice does not remain natural and sounds sluggish. For persons severely affected with acid reflux throat, there can be incidences of pneumonia or ulcer of the larynx. This results as a consequence of injury to the esophagus caused by the partially digested acid juice. If the reflux continues untreated for long, it can even cause esophageal or throat cancer. The longer the disease persists, the more is the scarring of the vocal fold. Irritable and crying children may indicate their suffering from acid reflux throat that causes them respiratory disorders, swallowing difficulties, choking, pneumonia and asthma.
Things to Avoid
The throat and the vocal folds affected by acidity require continued treatment to heal. The acid reflux throat symptoms get aggravated by throat lozenges and cough drops containing eucalyptus oil and menthol as they besides causing throat irritation stimulate the stomach to secrete more acid. Other things that can aggravate the situation include mouthwashes, breath fresheners, gums and hard candies.