Cough Related to Acid Reflux

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Cough Related to Acid Reflux

Question:

My mom is 70 years old. She has a (non-smoking) cough that only goes away after she eats. Every time she starts coughing, she knows that she is hungry and must eat to make the coughing stop. Why is this happening?

Answer:

Here is one idea. Acid reflux can cause a cough. Usually people with acid reflux will have heartburn, but not always. There are nerves in the esophagus that cause coughing when the nerve endings are stimulated by acid.

When your mom gets hungry, acid may reflux back from her stomach, causing her to cough. When she eats and drinks, she is washing the acid back down toward the stomach and away from the lining of the esophagus. Also, the saliva mixed with the food neutralizes acid.

Once the acid leaves the esophagus, the coughing would stop.

She could try an acid blocker for a few days. If my theory is correct, her cough should go away. Your mother and her doctor will need to decide if she needs to be on medication to reduce stomach acid for a more prolonged period of time.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is chief editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications. He is recognized as an outstanding clinician and teacher and is a recipient of the Internal Medicine Teacher of the Year award at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. LeWine continues to practice Internal Medicine; most recently he became a hospitalist after practicing primary care for over 20 years.

Last updated:	July 20, 2009