That said, the wrong bacteria such as H Pylori or Clostridium Difficile (C. Diff.) can grow out of proportion in your stomach. For some of these bacteria, the process of decomposing food leads to fermentation and excess gas production which causes bloating (a common reflux symptom). Normally, this fermentation process should occur in the colon where it can be expressed through the anus. However, under the wrong conditions bacteria that normally colonize the colon are allowed to proliferate in the gut. Thomas G. Guilliams, PhD; Lindsey E. Drake, MS. Meal-Time Supplementation with Betaine HCl for Functional Hypochlorhydria: What is the Evidence? Integrative Medicine. Volume 19, No. 1. February 2020.

To reach a diagnosis your doctor will conduct a full exam. This will likely include requesting a history of symptoms, what treatments you’ve tried, and when symptoms are likely to occur. Reflux is common in children up to the age of 1 year, and only those who have difficulty feeding or breathing require treatment. As the name suggests there are some differences between silent reflux, acid reflux, and GERD. Namely, silent reflux does not typically cause heartburn. Symptoms commonly include: Similar to other gut conditions like IBS or SIBO, LPR may have many possible root causes. In this situation, we recommend using a hierarchical approach. Ironically, for many patients who don’t feel better on PPIs , increasing stomach acid improves reflux. Using a betaine HCL supplement to increase stomach acid just before meals may help.Prokinetic agents to increase the forward movement of the GI tract and increase the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter. These medications are not as commonly used, because they have been linked to adverse effects on heart rhythm and diarrhea. Because of this increased pressure it increases the likelihood of the value above the stomach called the lower esophagael sphincter (LES) to open and release which in turn leads to acid reflux. You can read more about the stomach sphincters role in LPR here. Spechler SJ. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2019 Feb;15(2):111-113. PMID: 31011306; PMCID: PMC6469260. LINX ®; studies have shown that LINX ® is effective at resolving LPR as well as more typical heartburn symptoms.

It’s likely that LPR can be caused by different problems and may well be more complex than simple acid reflux. Silent reflux may be diagnosed by your gastroenterologist or ear, nose, and throat specialist (otolaryngologist). Diagnosis may be based on: Other high-level research found that H. pylori, a bacterial infection of the stomach, was present in about half of patients with LPR [ 4]. And bacterial overgrowths like SIBO are often associated with slow gut motility, which early research suggests may also be a cause of LPR [ 12]. If antacids do not work, a doctor may prescribe a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), such as omeprazole, to reduce stomach acidity. A person with LPR can use these for between 4 weeks and 6 months. In children Why this is relevant to diet is because of how the diet can affect it. As most people know if you are eating more acidic foods and drinks this can trigger acid reflux in the stomach due to the higher acidity which is true for all kinds of acid reflux including LPR& G E RD.

Difficulties swallowing (dysphagia) – Many LPR sufferers experience trouble swallowing due to throat inflammation.