Does acid reflux cause earache?
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Hello, I am a 45 years old male. I have been dealing with acid reflux. I always had burning pain in the chest, I used to burp a lot, and felt bloating but now I have pain in my ear. Does acid reflux cause earache? Can anyone explain how they are connected?
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@prashanth Hello, Heartburn and ear pain can both be symptoms of acid reflux. If you experience ear pain from acid reflux, it’s most likely 1 of 2 extraesophageal variants of GERD: LPR or NPR. Heartburn is an uncomfortable burning sensation just behind your breastbone. It’s caused by digestive acid moving into your esophagus, which is the tube between your throat and your stomach. If you have frequent heartburn that interferes with your lifestyle, you may have gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD). Two extraesophageal variants of GERD are laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), also known as silent reflux, and nasopharyngeal reflux (NPR). These vary in sensation within your esophagus and other areas of the throat. LPR and NPR can lead to ear pressure and ear pain, often in the form of eustachian tube obstruction (ETO). Each of your ears has a eustachian tube. This is a canal connecting your middle ear to your nasopharynx to equalize the pressure in your middle ear to the air pressure outside your body. Your eustachian tube connects your middle ear and throat. ETO also referred to as blocked eustachian tubes or eustachian tube dysfunction, is characterized by symptoms such as Ear pain Lifestyle changes like Don’t lie down until 3 hours after eating, Avoid trigger foods, like alcohol, caffeine, onions, fried foods, garlic, and tomato, Eat slowly and thoroughly chew your food, eat healthily and maintain a healthy weight can also help in acid reflux. If you have a recurring earache or experience heartburn often, talk with your doctor.