“Is GERD a factor in your patient’s asthma?” an article published in The Journal of Respiratory Disease, vol. 21.no 4=April 2000 by Drs. Theodoropoulos and associates revealed to me an amazing situation:
On page 240, Table-Symptoms and findings of GERD...”pain in the chest, epigastric, and cervical (neck) areas.... Pharyngeal: Morning soreness and throat pain.....Headache, (sinus) pressure.....Otalagia (ear pain)”...
This article helped me realize that a dangerous situation in the esophagus (reflux of hydrochloric acid and digestive contents) triggers the person’s defense mechanisms with increasingly intense activation and the “protective” reflexes that can spill over BEYOND the esophagus. It appears the ongoing crescendo/cascade of protection loses its focus thus stimulating other tissues. The body is trying to protect AND warn all at the same time. Thus GERD “unconscious/automatic alarms” are sounded causing PAIN and in these cases MUSCLE SPASM from something remote to the site of the origin of the problem. In a way of thinking these manifestations are equivalent to heartburn. That is they are most successfully treated by treating the cause (GERD) not the pain itself. Treat the GERD and the neck pain/stiffness, headache, chest pain and sinus pressure GO AWAY IF the cause was GERD. If not then nothing lost, you are no worse off that you were before....nothing ventured, nothing gained!
It is important to acknowledge that successful treatment of these "away from the esophagus, not heartburn symptoms”, require HIGHER doses of GERD meds for LONGER periods of time. Ordinary once a day treatment can help heartburn....that’s the easy part....you need to have insight and understanding and intense therapy for success. If this doesn’t make sense then I’ve not done my job to help you understand.
Dr. Barrett
