Oct. 17, 2024—You're all too familiar with classic cold symptoms, such as a sore throat, runny nose, persistent cough and hoarseness. What you might not know is that those symptoms could also indicate gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
What is GERD?
GERD is a chronic condition that develops when the food and acid in your stomach flow upward into your esophagus. This is called acid reflux. Normally, a valve between your stomach and your esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter, stops that reflux from happening. But with GERD, that valve doesn't work correctly.
Reflux causes heartburn, a burning sensation behind your chest or in your throat. Heartburn is GERD's most common symptom.
The frequent heartburn caused by GERD isn't just unpleasant. It can limit what you can eat, disrupt your sleep and affect your daily activities.
Over time, if GERD isn't managed properly, it can damage the esophagus—and even lead to esophageal cancer.
Cold-like GERD symptoms
Heartburn is the most common—and recognizable—GERD symptom. But it actually causes a range of symptoms. And it’s possible to have the condition without experiencing heartburn at all.
According to the American Gastroenterological Association, GERD can cause:
- Persistent cough.
- Runny nose.
- Hoarseness.
- Sore throat.
So be wary of dismissing cold-like symptoms too quickly, especially if they don't go away.
When to see the doctor
GERD has no cure, says the American College of Gastroenterology. But proper treatment can help keep it under control, as can avoiding triggers.
Coughing and hoarseness may indicate that GERD has already caused damage. If you have these symptoms, see your doctor right away, even if you don't have heartburn. Your doctor may need to perform tests to diagnose or rule out GERD.
Sources
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "What Is Chronic Cough Syndrome?" https://aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/asthma/what-is-chronic-cough-syndrome.
- American College of Gastroenterology. "Acid Reflux/GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)." https://gi.org/topics/acid-reflux.
- American Gastroenterological Association. "Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)." https://patient.gastro.org/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "About Common Cold." https://www.cdc.gov/common-cold/about/index.html.