October 27
Asthma Symptoms and Reflux
	If you have asthma, some of your cough may be related to your digestive tract. We’ve known for a while that acid reflux can exacerbate asthma symptoms at night. Now new research presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology suggests that it may also cause symptoms in asthmatics at any time—not only at night. Acid reflux occurs when stomach juices back up from the stomach into the esophagus. It can cause heartburn, sore throat, and over the long-term, even irritation or ulcers of the esophagus. For people with asthma, when the acidic material comes back up, some of it can get into the lungs, which aggravates the airways, causing coughing and wheezing. Researchers studied 128 people with asthma and measured the amount of acidity present in their digestive tract. They also recorded the types of asthma symptoms they had. They found that acid reflux occurred seven times more frequently before coughing, than the other way around. And that the more coughing a patient had, the more likely they had acid reflux. You can minimize reflux by avoiding eating before bed, and raising the head of the bed about 6 inches. Over-the-counter medications for reflux are available, but if you still don’t get relief, there are some prescription drugs that may help.
	How do you know if your symptoms are caused by reflux? You may not know, but if your asthma symptoms are worse at night, or are exacerbated after a big meal, that could be a clue.
	Resources and References: Heartburn The American Gastroenterological Association www.gastro.org/public/heartburn.html Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/pubs/heartbrn/heartbrn.htm