Can LPR Be Transient, Caused by Sudden Acute Stress?
LPR is often a chronic problem that many people suffer with, but sudden acute anxiety or stress can also fire up the stomach acid and cause LPR.
LPR stands for laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. It’s also known as silent reflux.
Symptoms of LPR (no particular order)
• Hoarse voice throughout speech
• Hoarse voice only at the start of speech after prolonged silence
• Persistent feeling of tickling or itchiness in the back of the throat that causes coughing
• Frequent coughing, may be slightly productive (expelling very tiny clear droplets)
• Sore throat
• Burning throat
• Sensation of lump in throat
• Sensation of difficulty breathing
• Dry mouth
• Reflux episodes into the nose causing burning nasal cavities
Acute stress or anxiety – that which comes on suddenly – can cause a few or all of these LPR symptoms.
“Reflux occurs when stomach juices comes back up to the esophagus in GERD and to the throat in LPR,” says Gene Liu, MD, MMM, and Chief, Division of Otolaryngology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group.
“LPR, just like classic GERD, can be short-lived or become a lifelong problem,” continues Dr. Liu.
“Anxiety and stress can ultimately lead to many physical symptoms, and the symptoms of reflux have been noted to frequently increase following periods of significant stress.
“Thankfully, in many instances, the reflux symptoms will significantly decrease, or even completely resolve after a period of time.”
I personally know what it’s like to experience LPR out of the blue, in that prior to the onset of symptoms, I had no chronic history of this common condition.
Then suddenly I had a hoarse voice every time I spoke, which cleared up when I cleared my throat. I also had a persistent cough that never subsided unless I was lying in bed.
The triggers were the diagnosis of my parents’ dog, who was a big part of my life, with a brain tumor, and my sudden onset of odd-looking diarrhea, which I thought might be colon cancer.
I scheduled my first colonoscopy and had that to look forward to, while the eight-year-old German shepherd’s condition was worsening.
The dog was put down the day before the colonoscopy, and the cough persisted – right into the colonoscopy procedure room.
At the end of the procedure the doctor told me everything looked normal. The coughing ceased and never returned.
Coincidence? I think not. This fits the bill for a reactive kind of LPR to all my stress and anxiety. The symptoms were minor, nothing compared to what affects many people on a chronic level.
But even short-term LPR in response to sudden stress and turmoil can consist of more troublesome symptoms such as throat pain/burning, a big knot in the throat and a sensation of difficulty breathing.
The cough departed as soon as it had arrived. The cause of the diarrhea turned out to be benign.
But the lesson learned is that laryngopharyngeal reflux disease can most certainly strike out of the blue in response to sudden stressful events, and will likely disappear when there’s a resolution or closure to the turmoil.
Dr. Liu’s clinical areas of focus cover a broad range including surgery of the head and neck, sinuses and thyroid, and disorders of the ears, salivary glands and vocal cords.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
.
Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Can Cancer Cause a Swollen Feeling in the Throat?
Many different cancers can cause you to have a swollen feeling or lumpy sensation in the throat, even if you’ve never smoked or drank.
But there’s more to this than you’re probably thinking. (more…)
Salty or Metal Taste After Acoustic Neuroma Surgery: Solutions?
You aren’t imagining it: If you think your mouth tastes salty or metallic from your acoustic neuroma surgery, you’re correct. (more…)
Thumping Sound in Ear in Synch with Heartbeat During Exercise
In most cases, hearing a thumping sound in your ear that’s in rhythm with your heartbeat during exercise is benign.
However, there are serious causes that need to be ruled out.
“The carotid artery and jugular vein (the main blood vessels from and to the head and back) pass extremely close to the ear,” says Gene Liu, MD, MMM, and Chief, Division of Otolaryngology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group.
Smell Phantom Dirty Feet but There’s No Smelly Feet Around?
Do you smell the stink of dirty feet but there’s no dirty feet or socks around?
Why does it seem that everything smells like dirty socks or feet? (more…)
Waking Up and Can’t Breathe, Plus Burning in Throat
The twist on this is the accompanying burning throat that comes with waking up in the middle of the night struggling to breathe.
Usually when someone awakens gasping for breath, that’s their only symptom. (more…)
What Causes a Phantom Minty Smell Inside the Nose?
Do you smell something minty nearly every time you inhale, as though it’s coming from INSIDE your nose?
And you haven’t even eaten anything minty, either!
If you smell something minty coming from inside your nose, one of two possibilities comes to mind:
• There is something inside your nose that’s generating the scent of mint.
• The detection of this odor is imaginary, in that a source for this actual odor is absent, such as a bit of mint toothpaste up a nostril.
“Smelling things that are not present is called phantosmia,” says Gene Liu, MD, MMM, and Chief, Division of Otolaryngology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group.
“This can be caused by a laundry list of reasons including seizure activity in the area of the brain that is associated with smell; irritation of the olfactory nerve from medications or trauma; atypical migraines; tumors in the area of the brain or along the nerve associated with the sense of smell; possibly some vitamin deficiencies; Parkinson’s; Alzheimer’s; and other neuropsychiatric disorders.”
Why would the odor be minty, of all things?
Dr. Liu explains, “Specifically, a minty smell does not ‘ring any bells’ for a particular cause.
“There is also no mention in the medical literature about a minty smell being any more or less common than other smells in cases of phantosmia,” which are often of a burning or smoky nature.
“If you are experiencing phantosmia of any kind, a visit to your doctor is probably a good idea given some of the rare, but potentially serious, causes.”
It might be linked to neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or epilepsy, where abnormal brain activity affects smell perception.
Other potential serious causes include temporal lobe seizures, brain tumors or head injuries that impact areas of the brain responsible for processing smells.
Infections or inflammation in the nasal cavity or sinuses, though less severe, can also contribute to phantosmia.
“Thankfully, most cases of phantosmia tend to go away on their own and usually are not associated with any serious medical issues,” says Dr. Liu.
If you have a mint smell up your nose, or at least, it seems that way, have you checked around to see if any external agents might be causing this, such as a spot of toothpaste high up on your shirt?
Dr. Liu’s clinical areas of focus cover a broad range including surgery of the head and neck, sinuses and thyroid, and disorders of the ears, salivary glands and vocal cords.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
.
Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
What Is the “Best” Kind of Brain Tumor to Have?
Any brain tumor is bad news, but there are the deadliest and then there are “good” ones – from a relative standpoint, of course.
If you could choose a particular brain tumor to have, there is actually a certain kind that qualifies as being the “best.”
Or, to put it another way, the least life-threatening. (more…)
Why Can Tinnitus Onset Be Years After a Loud Sound?
Tinnitus can be caused by loud noise, but sometimes the continuous ringing in the ears occurs years after the loud sound. (more…)
Hearing Aids Making Tinnitus Worse? Causes & Solutions
“Hearing aids should not be causing one’s tinnitus to worsen and if they do, a visit to the audiologist is necessary,” says Rivka Strom, AuD, CCC-A, chief audiologist at Central Hearing LLC in NY.
“The audiologist should check that the hearing aid is not set inappropriately loud,” continues Strom.
Hearing Aid Adjustments
“It is important that the audiologist perform a test called real ear measures (REM) to ensure appropriate settings of the hearing aid and to make sure the hearing aid never gets too loud to the point where it can exacerbate the tinnitus,” explains Strom.
“Further, there is a condition known as hyperacusis which is highly comorbid with tinnitus.
“Hyperacusis refers to sensitivity to loud sounds. Severe hyperacusis occurs when an individual has difficulty tolerating everyday sounds which do not seem loud to others.”
Hyperacusis is not a disorder that’s caused by anxiety or the so-called all in a person’s head. It’s a real condition, and it’s not just a mere dislike of certain sounds.
Many people with hyperacusis do indeed suffer from tinnitus.
So while plugging one’s ears at the sound of piercing screams from playing children or an ambulance siren do not reflect hyperacusis, plugging one’s ears to the sound of leaves rustling, the sound of two people on TV kissing, or the sound of a fan would be very suggestive of hyperacusis, or at least, selective hyperacusis.
Sometimes, the noise of everyday sounds can literally cause ear pain in someone with severe hyperacusis. Here are examples of those sounds:
• Loud Music: Concerts, loudspeakers, or headphones at high volumes.
• Traffic Noise: Car horns, engine noise, and sirens.
• Appliances: Vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and dishwashers.
• Construction Sounds: Hammering, drilling, and heavy machinery.
• Office Noises: Keyboard typing, phone ringing, and printer sounds.
• Public Announcements: Loudspeakers in stations, airports, or shopping centers.
• Crowded Places: Background noise in restaurants, malls, or busy streets.
• Household Items: Blenders, coffee makers, and hair dryers.
• Animal Sounds: Barking dogs, chirping birds, or loud animal calls.
• Emergency Alarms: Fire alarms, car alarms, and emergency vehicle sirens.
• Social Interactions: Loud talking, laughter, or shouting in social settings.
“If an individual with tinnitus has hyperacusis and it is not addressed prior to wearing hearing aids, it can appear that the hearing aids are worsening the tinnitus — when it can just be that having access to everyday sounds from the hearing aid could result in the experience of hyperacusis and possibly tinnitus,” says Strom.
Dr. Strom is a member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association and has received several awards including Brooklyn College’s Excellence In Audiology Award.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
.