Stomach acid in your esophagus can make your airways swell, causing shortness of breath. Some people also develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-related asthma.
Difficulty breathing is one of the more frightening symptoms of acid reflux and the chronic form of the condition, called GERD.
Shortness of breath, also called dyspnea, occurs with GERD because stomach acid that creeps into the esophagus can enter the lungs, making the airways swell.
Coughing or wheezing can make the damage to your airways worse.
Read on to learn more about how acid reflux affects your breathing and tips for managing it.
Shortness of breath can occur in GERD alone, but it often happens together with asthma. In fact, the two conditions are
While experts don’t fully understand the connection between these two conditions, they might have a reciprocal relationship. This means that one can worsen the other, and vice versa.
One possible explanation is that acid flow causes injury to the throat lining, airways, and lungs. This can bring about an asthma attack in those who have preexisting asthma.
Another reason may be that when acid enters the esophagus, it triggers a nerve reflex that causes airways to constrict to keep acid out.
Just as GERD may worsen asthma symptoms, treating GERD often helps ease asthma symptoms, like shortness of breath.
Whether your shortness of breath is related strictly to GERD or is due to GERD-related asthma, you can take small steps to ease your symptoms. Some
- Modifying your diet: Try to eat smaller, more frequent meals, and avoid bedtime snacks or meals. You can also eat certain foods and avoid others.
- Maintaining a moderate weight: If you have overweight or obesity, aiming to lose weight may help reduce your symptoms.
- Identifying triggers: Try to track your GERD triggers and avoid them where possible. For example, if tomato products worsen GERD, try to avoid foods and meals containing tomato sauce.
- Reducing alcohol and smoking: Aim to stop smoking and reduce or eliminate alcohol intake, if applicable. Smoking and alcohol consumption can worsen GERD symptoms.
- Elevating your head: Elevate the head of your bed by a few inches. This helps the food in your stomach remain there instead of traveling into your esophagus while you’re sleeping.
- Wearing loose clothing: Avoid wearing tight belts and clothing that puts pressure on your abdomen.
If lifestyle changes alone don’t ease reflux-related breathing problems, your doctor may also recommend
They may recommend:
If you have both GERD and asthma, continue to take your prescribed asthma medications (and medications for GERD if your doctor has prescribed them) — and limit exposure to your asthma and GERD triggers.
Learn more about treatment options for GERD.
Experts think there’s a link between asthma and GERD. While it isn’t fully understood, each condition can make the other worse.
If GERD gives you shortness of breath, you can try lifestyle changes like avoiding triggers, maintaining a moderate weight, and elevating the head of your bed.
You can also speak with a doctor about medications and other treatment options.