Silent reflux is a condition in which your stomach acid flows back into your throat or your voice box and causes irritation and inflammation.
Silent reflux also often occurs without the typical symptoms that often occur with heartburn or indigestion.
Silent reflux is also known as laryngopharyngeal reflux or LPR.
Laryngopharyngeal reflux or silent reflux occurs when your stomach acid, which is normally contained in your stomach, flows back up your esophagus and into your throat and your larynx or voice box.
The reason it's silent is because unlike GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease that causes heartburn and indigestion, laryngopharyngeal reflux or silent reflux does not often produce the classic symptoms of GERD which is why it's called silent reflux.
The symptoms of silent reflux or laryngopharyngeal reflux include.
Chronic hoarseness.
Changes in your voice quality.
A feeling of a lump in your throat also known as globus sensation.
Difficulty in swallowing.
Chronic sore throat.
Having to clear your throat frequently.
Having a cough that doesn't go away.
Postnasal drip.
And a bitter taste in your mouth.
The causes of laryngopharyngeal reflux are not fully clear.
However some potential causes of laryngopharyngeal reflux include tight clothing around your abdomen, alcohol and tobacco use, spicy or acidic foods and problems with your sphincter muscle at the end of your esophagus which prevents the stomach acid from flowing back up.