Chronic cough is a common ailment that can significantly affect one's quality of life. While it's often attributed to respiratory issues, there's a surprising factor that often goes unnoticed: reflux. In this blog post, we'll explore the connection between reflux and chronic cough.
What Is Chronic Cough?
Chronic cough is defined as a persistent cough that lasts for eight weeks or more in adults or four weeks or more in children. Unlike the occasional cough triggered by a passing cold or respiratory infection, chronic cough can become an ongoing concern.
What Is Reflux?
Reflux occurs when stomach acid and other stomach contents, including acid, pepsin , and bile, flow back up into the esophagus, the tube that carries food to the stomach, and sometimes even into the airways.
Reflux disease is a common condition that affects millions of people, causing discomfort and a variety of distressing symptoms, including lesser-known ones like chronic cough, distinct from the classic heartburn symptoms.
The Link Between Reflux and Chronic Cough
What many people don't realize is that acid reflux can extend beyond the esophagus and affect other parts of the respiratory system, including the throat and lungs. When stomach acid reaches the throat, it can trigger a chronic cough.
How Does Reflux Cause Chronic Cough?
The connection between reflux and chronic cough lies in the irritation of the upper airways. When stomach contents come into contact with the sensitive tissues of the throat, it can lead to inflammation, irritation, and excessive mucus production. This constant irritation can trigger a persistent cough as the body attempts to clear the irritation.
Is Your Chronic Cough Caused by Reflux? How to Find Out.
Prior to the introduction of Peptest, diagnosing the underlying cause of a chronic cough was a challenging task often reliant on subjective judgments or lengthy expensive invasive examinations and tests. With Peptest, the process has become remarkably simpler, enabling individuals to identify if reflux is the underlying cause of their chronic cough.
What's more, Peptest can be conveniently conducted in the comfort of your own home.
What Is Peptest?
Peptest is a non-invasive test that detects the presence of pepsin in saliva, an enzyme found in the stomach. Its presence in your saliva or sputum serves as clear evidence of reflux events.
How Does Peptest Work?
Collection: To perform the Peptest, a sample of your saliva is collected. This is a simple and painless procedure that can be done at home or at a healthcare facility.
Analysis: The collected saliva sample is then sent to a lab where it is analyzed for the presence of pepsin.
Results: Within a few days, you'll receive your Peptest results, which will indicate whether pepsin is present in your saliva and at what levels.
Read a patient's story from our blog: 'Chronic Cough: How Peptest Helped Me.'
If you've been suffering from a chronic cough and suspect reflux might be the cause, consider using Peptest, an easy at-home test, to uncover whether acid reflux is the reason behind your persistent cough. With the right diagnosis, you can work with your healthcare provider to develop an effective treatment plan and finally enjoy the relief you deserve. Don't allow reflux cough to continue disrupting your life; seek a diagnosis first.
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