Reflux and Sleeping

Vocal Physiotherapy

Do you ever wake up feeling croaky or hoarse, or with a dry and scratchy throat? Does the idea of extra chili make you feel like your insides are on fire? Perhaps you suffer from reflux!

Gastroesophageal reflux is where your stomach acid travels up your esophagus (food pipe) into your throat. Most people experience symptoms of burning in the chest and throat when this is happening, however, others will experience silent reflux (without the pain). Reflux can pool around your larynx, which can affect your voice. An ENT surgeon can perform a video stroboscopy where they can visualise your vocal cords using a flexible camera. This stroboscopy can reveal signs of reflux.

Reflux can be made worse by eating or drinking acidic food and drink. These can include garlic, chili, coffee, and carbonated drinks. Eating food late at night can also make reflux worse, as well as lying flat when you sleep. When lying flat, stomach acid doesn’t have to compete with gravity and can therefore travel faster up into your throat. It is often recommended to sleep on an incline to try to prevent the effects of reflux overnight.

If you suffer from reflux, you may have tried many ways to prop yourself upright at night, which often results in a physiotherapy visit to manage a stiff neck. Flexipillow has come up with a solution to this in the bed wedge. It is a comfortable, memory foam wedge that provides you with a nice recline to keep your stomach acid where it should be. It also solves the problem of how one would elevate their side of the bed while keeping their partner lying flat!

If you struggle with reflux, feel free to drop into Performance Medicine to try out the bed wedge – you’ll never look back!

~ Catherine Etty-Leal

Catherine Etty-Leal