• Why does reflux occur?
• What are the typical symptoms of reflux laryngitis and gastroesophageal reflux?
• How are reflux laryngitis and gastroesophageal reflux evaluated?
• What is the conservative therapy of reflux?
• What types of medications are used to treat reflux?
• Reflux Laryngitis At A Glance

Why does reflux occur?

Reflux is caused by a weakness in the muscle at the junction of the esophagus (food tube) with the stomach. Normally, this muscular valve, or sphincter, functions to keep food and stomach acid from moving upward from the stomach to the esophagus and larynx. This valve opens to allow food to go down to the stomach and closes to keep the stomach's contents from coming back up. The backward movement of stomach contents (gastric contents) up into the esophagus is referred to as gastroesophageal reflux. In addition, any increase in abdominal pressure (obesity) which can push acid back from the stomach up the esophagus, or any patient with a hiatal hernia, will have an increased risk for reflux. When it causes symptoms, it is referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD). When the acid backs up into the voice box (larynx), the condition is referred to as reflux laryngitis.

Stomach acid can cause an irritation of the lining of the esophagus, larynx and throat. This can lead to erosion of the lining of the esophagus (erosive esophagitis), narrowing of the esophagus (stricture), chronic hoarseness, chronic throat clearing, difficulty swallowing, foreign body sensation, asthma or cough, spasms of the vocal cords, sinusitis, and growths on the vocal cords (granulomas). Rarely, reflux can lead to cancer of the esophagus and larynx.

From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com

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