Things To Do Before Taking Our Survey

If you're new to LPR, you probably want to do everything you can to fix this TODAY. Unfortunately, that won't happen. Solving LPR is a difficult undertaking, and you will be best equipped to do so when you have as much information about your condition as possible. Therefore, please do the following things BEFORE taking this survey.

  1. Visit an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor (ENT), and get diagnosed. The doctor will likely put a scary-looking (but painless and easy) flexible tube up your nose to take a look at your throat. He will be able to rule out many possible major issues, and will be able to see any inflammation. If possible, go to an otorhinolaryngologist -- an ENT who specializes in voices. That type of doctor will do something called a "videostroboscopy", which can see more and will take a video of your throat. Make sure the doctor looks down your throat with the scope! If he does not, and attempts to blame LPR on "anxiety" or "allergies", find a different ENT doctor!

  2. Ask the doctor for a full blood panel, and make sure it tests for Vitamin D and Vitamin B12. This will also help rule out other more rare causes of LPR, such as thyroid issues.

  3. Raise the head of your bed by six to eight inches. Do NOT just prop up pillows. Instead, buy cement blocks at a hardware store (mine were $2 each), and place them under the two feet at the head of your bed. Alternately, you can buy a "wedge pillow" which props up your upper body as you sleep.

  4. Avoid eating for the final three hours you're awake.

  5. Try to avoid spicy or acidic foods.

  6. Quit drinking carbonated beverages (tough one for me!) and orange juice.

  7. Quit drinking alcohol and smoking cigarrettes.

  8. Start drinking alkaline water (you can buy this at the store) whenever possible.

  9. Avoid excessive use of your voice, if possible.

These will not necessarily solve your LPR problem, but are the "first steps" in attacking the issue. If you still have LPR after taking these steps, and it does not improve for a few weeks, then you should probably graduate to attempting a medication and supplement solution. However, be sure to ask your doctor before doing so.

Return to the main page