GERD and cough: what should you know?

Reflux may cause a dry cough, throat clearing, hoarseness or a sour taste, sometimes without obvious heartburn. Cough linked with reflux may be worse after meals, when bending or when lying down. A cough can instead accompany Common Cold, Acute Bronchitis or Allergic Rhinitis; Asthma, Bronchiectasis and Chronic Cough also require a different assessment.

The pattern is useful but cannot confirm the cause. A clinician may ask about wheeze, breathlessness, nasal symptoms, smoking, medicines and how long the cough has lasted. Several causes can coexist, so treating reflux alone may not settle a persistent cough.

Record when coughing begins and whether it follows food, exercise, cold air or lying down. Try smaller meals, remain upright after eating, and avoid foods or drinks that clearly trigger symptoms. Do not stop prescribed medicines without advice. A clinician can review reflux treatment and decide whether the cough needs chest, allergy or breathing tests.

Book an appointment for a cough that persists, returns frequently, disrupts sleep or comes with hoarseness, swallowing difficulty or unexplained weight loss. Seek urgent help for severe breathing difficulty, blue lips, chest pain, confusion, coughing up blood or rapid deterioration.

Does my cough pattern fit reflux, or could asthma, allergy or infection be involved? Do I need a breathing or chest assessment? Which reflux measures should I try, and when should we review the result?