Chronic cough lasting more than eight weeks often has a culprit: acid reflux. In gastro-oesophageal reflux (GERD) and its “silent” cousin, laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), acid and enzymes creep up the oesophagus and may reach the throat. This irritates the lining and triggers the vagal cough reflex, setting off a dry cough.
Clues that reflux is driving your cough include: symptoms worse after meals, at night, or when lying down; hoarseness, throat-clearing, a “lump in throat” feeling, sour taste, or heartburn. With LPR, heartburn can be absent, so the link is easy to miss.
Reflux and cough also fuel each other. Micro-aspiration and inflammation make the airway hypersensitive, while repeated coughing increases abdominal pressure and promotes more reflux—a frustrating loop.
What helps? Eat smaller, earlier dinners; avoid triggers like spicy or fatty foods, chocolate, caffeine, citrus, mint, and alcohol; maintain a healthy weight; stop smoking; and elevate the head of the bed 6–8 inches. If symptoms persist, a clinician may try acid-suppressing therapy (PPIs or H2 blockers), alginate formulations, or tests such as pH-impedance monitoring or laryngoscopy. For stubborn cough, cough-suppression therapy and neuromodulators can help.
