Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

reactive airway or GERD

Hue
I have a general burning feelings I think is in my lungs.  One doctor suggests asthma but inhalers do not help. My pulmonary tests look good and breathing treatments did affect my lungs during the test. One doctor says acid reflux even though I do not get a lot of heartburn. I wheeze some of the time but the burning feeling is the worst.  How can I tell who is right?  My current doctor says it takes a few months for the Pepcid to allow a healing esophogus (no tests have been run yet to confirm GERD yet). In the meantime, my lungs or esophogus is causing me a lot of discomfort.
4 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
251132 tn?1198078822
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Burning feelings or sensations do not arise in the lungs.  Pleurisy is inflammation or irritation of the pleura, the sac that surrounds the lungs.  This can cause chest tightness and pain, but that is not usually felt as a burning feeling.  Also a burning sensation with exertion is likely to be a sign of heart disease.  Asthma never causes a burning feeling.  However, a burning feeling is characteristic of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  This is the back flow of stomach contents, including digestive juices, into the esophagus or food tube.  It is most commonly called acid reflux or heartburn.  It is also common to have no symptoms at all with heartburn.  This is called
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hue
I want to thank you for comments. Recently I became convinced that my most recent diagonsis is correct....acid reflux.  The symptoms are amazingly like Asthma. I cannot fault my earlier doctor's diagnosis (Emergency room, Urgent Care and Primary Care) because the symptoms responded to some degree to asthma medications (especially the wheezing).  But recently. after eating carefully and following the rules of Acid Reflux care and experiencing no problems for a while, I went off diet and ate some canned chili and had strawberries for desert and the next morning I wheezed, and had what I had always considered lung pain, and then ....most convincingly the real heart burn hit a couple of hours later. I took care of the heatburn and the wheezing went away.  

After learning from previous articles on this website that asthma does not cause lung pain, I made the mental effort to quite assigning my symptoms to that, and after the last revealing experience, appreciate my current diagnosis. I want to thank everyone for your help in this most confusing and important matter.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It will be a year the end of October that I have been suffering with burning stomach, coughing, tight bronchial tubes and mucus that I continueously cough up, it being worse after I eat and at night when I lie down. I just found out that I have a Hiatal Hernia with Reflux from an Endoscopy that was done. I am on Aciphex once a day and that has helped somewhat. It has been suggested that I take it twice a day to see if that will stop the reflux totally. I have lost 10 lbs in the last 3 weeks as I have found that the only thing that I can eat without the coughing, weezing, mucusy, tight bronchials is protien in the form of eggs and chicken and meat. I have to stop eating at around 3:00 p.m. or I am miserable when I go to sleep. Does anyone know if the acid is indeed what is causing the mucus in my bronchial tubes. X-rays show clear lungs. I have been told that it comes up the esophagus and spills over into the Bronchial tubes and then the mucus forms trying to protect them. I am at my wits end to know how to take care of this. It has been suggested that if I have the hernia fixed it might take care of the reflux problem. Does anyone know? I just can't imagine living the rest of my life like this. The Dr. said that I might have to continue the proton pump inhibitor indefinately. Poppiegrammie
Helpful - 0
61536 tn?1340698163
That's exactly why I am here.  I have the same questions!  I've had cardiac testing, lung studies including a perfusion study, etc.  My discomfort and difficulty filling my lungs doesn't seem related to activity level, which also seems odd.  Can reflux really do this??
Helpful - 0

You are reading content posted in the Respiratory Disorders Forum

Popular Resources
Find out what causes asthma, and how to take control of your symptoms.
Healing home remedies for common ailments
Tricks to help you quit for good.
Is your area one of the dirtiest-air cities in the nation?
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.