How Does GERD Cause Asthma Symptoms to Occur?
Asthma can cause wheezing, breathlessness, tightness in the chest or a chronic cough (cough-variant asthma). If GERD is present, the acid that backs up in the esophagus can cause fumes to enter the lungs and irritate the nerve endings in the airways, triggering an asthma flare-up. Adults with asthma and GERD may experience these same symptoms. More than 75 percent of people with asthma have GERD, and twice as many people with asthma have GERD than those people who do not have asthma. So GERD is a common trigger of asthma flare-ups in both children and adults. When GERD is treated, in most instances, the asthma flares will lessen. How Do You Know if Your Child Has GERD? Most children don’t realize when GERD is present and can’t tell you what they’re feeling. So it is up to you to pay close attention to your child’s symptoms. An indication that your child with asthma is experiencing GERD may be a hoarseness in his voice or a cough that persists after eating. Your doctor may suggest a num
