Discover the Impact of Acid Reflux and 25 Ways to Alleviate It

25. Links Between Acid Reflux and Asthma

Scientists believe that acid reflux and asthma may be linked, but the cause-and-effect relationship is not entirely clear.  Two theories about how these conditions are related are the reflux theory and the reflex theory.

The reflux theory is the idea that asthma may be caused by a small amount of gastric juices entering the esophagus and getting into the lungs, leading to chronic inflammation of lung tissue. The reflex theory proposes a more indirect connection. In this theory, esophageal reflux stimulates the vagus nerve, which causes constriction in the airway, leading to asthma symptoms.