People are not usually admitted to the hospital for this test. PH-metry is a special, overnight test that takes about 24 hours to complete. It is a good test to evaluate the entire swallowing mechanism. This test shows how you swallow and it shows if there is a narrowing or other abnormality of the throat or esophagus. The barium swallow is an X-ray test in which you must swallow chalky material that can be seen on X-rays. These two tests are different, and it is common to have both tests done. The two most common tests for LPR are pH monitoring, also called pH-metry, and a barium swallow.

If your doctor orders tests, he or she wants to be sure about the diagnosis, to make sure that you don't have any complications of LPR, and to help pick the best kind of treatment for you. At that point, your doctor may order some tests or recommend specific treatment. If this area looks swollen and/or red, you probably have LPR. If your doctor thinks that you could have LPR, he or she will probably perform a throat exam first and look at the voice box and the lower throat. The specialist who most often treats people with LPR is the otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat Physician). If you have any of these symptoms, and especially if you smoke, you should ask your doctor about LPR.

Some people have hoarseness that comes and goes, and others have a problem with too much nose and throat drainage.

Also, LPR can sometimes affect a person's breathing and lungs.Д¬hronic hoarseness, throat clearing and cough, as well as a feeling of a lump in the throat or difficulty swallowing, may be signs that you have LPR. The reason: Compared to the esophagus, the voice box and throat are much more sensitive to injury and irritation from stomach acid. In other words, the acid does not have enough time to irritate the esophagus and cause heartburn.Д«ut if even small amounts of refluxed material come all the way up into the throat, other problems can occur. This is because the material that backs up does not stay in the esophagus for very long. About half the people who have LPR never have any heartburn at all.

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