Expert QA

What’s the connection between heartburn and asthma?

By Stacey Colino for Live Right Live Well

At first blush, it’s hard to imagine what heartburn and asthma have in common, beyond the fact that both are felt in the chest. And yet, it’s estimated that 70 percent of people with asthma also experience frequent heartburn. The likely link: People with heartburn can inhale tiny amounts of acid, which may irritate airways and cause them to constrict, especially at night, explains Dr. Amit Bhan, senior staff gastroenterologist at the Henry Ford Health System in West Bloomfield, Mich. This can lead to asthma symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, hoarseness and irritation of the vocal chords.

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	<h2>Expert QA</h2>
<h1>What’s the connection between heartburn and asthma?</h1>
<p>

<p>By Stacey Colino for <em><a href="http://www.liverightlivewell.com">Live Right Live Well</a></em></p>
</p>

<img src="http://www.liverightlivewell.com/partner/content/worldnow-ftp/archive/2010-03-29/expertqa/asthma_heartburn_connection/images/large.jpg" width="181" height="212" alt="What’s the connection between heartburn and asthma?"/>
	<p>At first blush, it’s hard to imagine what heartburn and asthma have in common, beyond the fact that both are felt in the chest. And yet, it’s estimated that 70 percent of people with asthma also experience frequent heartburn. The likely link: People with heartburn can inhale tiny amounts of acid, which may irritate airways and cause them to constrict, especially at night, explains Dr. Amit Bhan, senior staff gastroenterologist at the Henry Ford Health System in West Bloomfield, Mich. This can lead to asthma symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, hoarseness and irritation of the vocal chords.</p>

The good news:
Getting heartburn under control has been found to relieve asthma symptoms in
many people. While heartburn is rarely the sole cause of asthma, if you have
asthma symptoms with your heartburn and your asthma is not improving with
standard asthma medications, “explore the possibility with your doctor that
reflux may be aggravating your asthma,” suggests Bhan. “If it’s due to acid
reflux, taking acid-suppressing medications can help.” Just be aware that “it
may take several months to relieve the symptoms, and higher than standard doses
may be required,” advises Bhan.
	
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