'Silent Reflux': Savannah Guthrie's Diagnosis, Explained

'Silent Reflux': Savannah Guthrie's Diagnosis, Explained

TodayHost Savannah Guthrie recently revealed that she suffers from a condition called laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). LPR can affect up to 30% of people and includes symptoms such as hoarseness, voice changes, a lumpy feeling in the throat, cough, chronic throat clearing, excessive mucus, mucus, and sore throat. Experts recommend seeing an otolaryngologist if you experience symptoms affecting the throat that do not improve after a few days.

Savannah Guthrie announced last week that she was diagnosed with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).Todayshow.

“I just found out this week that I have this exact thing,” Guthrie said during a segment on LPR. "My voice was getting hoarse and I thought it was because of age. I didn't know."

Experts say the condition is particularly difficult to recognize because the symptoms, such as hoarseness, can be symptomatic of many different diseases.

“The symptoms are fairly nonspecific,” said Lee Akst, MD, associate professor of otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins Medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Voice CenterHealth.

"What's difficult about suspecting [LPR] is that there are many other conditions –[like] allergies, dryness, muscular dysphonia, small vocal fold lesions, mild vocal fold weakness – that can cause many of the same symptoms," Akst said.

It is important to see an ENT doctor if you experience vague symptoms that may affect the throat, such as: B. the symptoms associated with LPR, and not knowing what causes them.

“You should see a specialist for an accurate diagnosis,” said Dr. Kyra Osborne, an otolaryngologist at the Cleveland ClinicHealth.

Here are the warning signs of LPR, dietary changes that can help relieve symptoms, and when it's time to see a doctor.

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Everything you need to know about the health complications associated with GERD

LPR is an extension of GERD

LPR is closely linked to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the telltale sign of which is heartburn.

GERD occurs when a muscle at the end of the esophagus does not close properly. This causes stomach contents to move back into the esophagus and cause irritation.

People with LPR experience the same feeling, only the stomach contents extend even further.

"It's no different than [GERD]—it's just that [the contents] go higher," Akst explained. “They travel up through the esophagus and reach the level of the larynx.”

This causes symptoms such as hoarseness, voice changes, a lumpy feeling in the throat, coughing, chronic throat clearing, excessive phlegm or phlegm and a sore throat, Osborne said.

Although LPR is an extension of GERD, not everyone who suffers from this condition suffers from heartburn. That's why it's sometimes called "silent reflux," according to Akst.

"It's the same mechanism where reflux leaves the stomach and [goes] into the esophagus; it's just that in some people the reflux is so severe that it reaches the larynx and throat, and not everyone is aware of heartburn," he explained.

While LPR is sometimes misdiagnosed as GERD, hoarseness can often help doctors tell the difference since this specific symptom is more commonly associated with LPR.

It is estimated that LPR affects 5-30% of people, while GERD affects nearly 28% of people.

However, experts say these estimates may be inflated.

“We have been conditioned to believe that everyone has reflux,” Akst said. “As a field, we probably overthink a reflux diagnosis and don’t always adequately consider these other alternatives.”

It's important to remember, he explained, that many of the symptoms caused by reflux are related to other health problems and doctors should always rule these out before diagnosing GERD or LPR.

Why do I suddenly get heartburn?

How to avoid silent reflux

There are several ways to treat LPR, many of which do not require medication.

“You can treat silent reflux through diet and lifestyle management,” Osborne explained.

Drug-free options for relieving LPR symptoms include:

Avoid spicy food. Limit alcohol consumption. Eat smaller meals. Do not lie down for three hours after eating. Eat low-fat foods. Avoid carbonated drinks. Avoid caffeinated drinks. Maintain a healthy weight. Avoid tobacco consumption

If these measures don't work, you should talk to a doctor about other treatment options, Osborne said.

Medications that can be used to treat LPR symptoms include antacids, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and H2 blockers, Osborne explained. Antacids work by neutralizing stomach acid, while PPIs and H2 blockers reduce the amount of acid the stomach produces.

But most people with LPR don't need to take medication forever to treat the symptoms, Osborne clarified. Usually a short period of time is enough to help the tissue heal.

In more severe cases, a surgical procedure called Nissen fundoplication may be used to treat LPR symptoms. During the procedure, the connection between the stomach and esophagus is tightened to prevent reflux.

It is important to treat reflux symptoms when they occur because over time they can cause complications such as esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, or esophageal stricture.

Other complications can affect the lungs, throat, or mouth and include asthma, tooth enamel wear, and laryngitis, which causes inflammation of the voice box.

Pneumonia, mouth ulcers, recurrent laryngitis, and in rare cases, squamous cell carcinoma are also possible recurrent infections that may occur due to LPR.

Osborne emphasized that these potential complications are another reason not to put off making an appointment with an otolaryngologist if you're experiencing symptoms affecting your throat — especially if you've tried treating the symptoms at home and they haven't gone away.