by Adam Carmen

Does it seem like every morning you wake up to a dry, relentless cough, even though you are not sick? Everything is fine while you are sleeping but once you wake, get out of bed and start your day, it’s like groundhog’s day all over again!

At first it’s just a small cough, maybe while brushing your teeth. But your attempt to clear your throat is not really doing what you want it to do, so you cough harder.

You think if I just cough a little harder it will clear what feels like a bunch of phlegm in my throat. But that doesn’t really work either.

Next you try drinking water. That helps a little but then it’s back to the coughing. In fact it’s now turned into hacking and you think you just might hack up a lung if you are not careful!

Realistically though there has to be a better way, because coughing so hard each morning that you turn red and your throat hurts is not healthy.

If you have Acid Reflux (GERD) and the above scenario seems all too familiar, there are a few things to consider.

Consider A Short Run of PPI Medication

If you are not on a PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitor), you may want to try a two week run. There is a lot of news lately about the dangers of long term PPI use, but if you read the package of any PPI it clearly states that these should only be taken for 2 weeks. Any longer than that and it will become harder to ween yourself off them as your body becomes dependent.

Why go on 2 weeks of a PPI’s even if you were on them once but quit because you heard they were dangerous or because they stopped working? Because, one reason you could be hacking up a lung each morning (even though you are not sick and do not smoke) is because your GERD is not well enough controlled at the moment. The acid from your stomach that is getting past your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and traveling up your esophagus is getting into your lungs and causing irritations.

Your body’s natural response is to get it out and the normal response is to clear your throat, cough and then cough harder!

By going on a 2 week run of PPI’s this will calm your system down enough to where your lungs can repair themselves.

Consider A OTC Decongestant

Often times a Reflux related cough is from two issues combined. First is the acid coming up from your stomach. The second is post nasal drip coming down. The two mix and produce that annoying cough that just won't go away. Try "drying yourself out" using over the counter decongestants, whichever ones work best for you. If you are not already on Reflux Meds, try a short Over the Counter PPI run (two weeks) to help calm things down.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Learn how to do Diaphragmatic Breathing. Your diaphragm is a dome shaped muscle below your ribcage. When you breathe deeply using your diaphragm you are able to fill your lungs completely with air and oxygen that your body needs. Diaphragmatic Breathing, when done correctly, can actually stop you from having coughing fits due to Acid Reflux (GERD). Click Here to read our blog post on how to use Diaphragmatic Breathing for Acid Reflux Relief.

Sleep With Your Head Raised

When sleeping on a flat bed, the contents of your stomach can easily travel up your esophagus causing a painful burning sensation. This occurs often when your Lower Esophageal Sphincter has been compromised and does not work as intended. To prevent this from happening, you can simply sleep with your head raised using a Bed Wedge.

*Disclaimer: We are not medical professionals. As with any medical advice, you should check with your doctor or medical professional before trying anything new. Nothing in this article or on Travelwedge.com should be considered medical advice.