Superstar singer Tems, recently alerted the world in a Tweet that she has been diagnosed with reflux laryngitis, a development which forced her to postpone her upcoming shows in the United Kingdom.
Tems tweeted,
“Hey gang, it breaks my heart to say this but there is no other option for me,” she wrote in a post shared via her Instagram page on Tuesday.
“I’m not feeling too good at the moment. After my last performance, I was diagnosed with Reflux Laryngitis and I have to take some time off to protect what’s left of my voice.
“On doctor’s advise, I’ve postponed the two shows this week, the Birmingham show on the 15th of June (It’s tomorrow, yeah I know) and the first London show on the 17th of July.”
Never heard of reflux laryngitis, sounds really serious, what is it?
Reflux laryngitis is a voice disorder that results from irritation and swelling of the vocal folds due to the backflow of stomach fluids into the throat.
This backflow is called laryngopharyngeal reflux (acid that reaches the level of the throat). Stomach fluids contain acids and enzymes that help digest food in the stomach, but cause problems elsewhere in the food pipe [oesophagus, throat, and voice box].
Reflux disease can be acid or non-acidic. For Acidic reflux, it is broken down into GERD and LPR. Classic GERD symptoms include heartburn. LPR symptoms are more likely throat clearing, a lump in the throat sensation, and hoarseness.
Symptoms
People with reflux laryngitis usually complain of hoarseness, frequent throat clearing, sensation of lump in the throat, cough, or sore throat.
These patients do not commonly experience heartburn, which is a typical complaint in the backflow of stomach fluids to the oesophagus causing inflammation in the oesophagus, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
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Diagnosis
- A history of symptoms and how the voice fluctuates in relation to eating patterns is key to diagnosing reflux laryngitis.
- The laryngologist may use a questionnaire that asks questions about reflux symptoms in order to determine if the patients’ symptoms are abnormally high, indicating possible reflux.
- In persistent or severe cases of reflux laryngitis, the patient may be asked to undergo a procedure called a pH probe monitoring. During this procedure, the patient wears a monitoring device that captures the backflow of reflux into the throat area. First line of treatment for reflux laryngitis involves using medicines that reduce stomach acid secretion. In addition, lifestyle and behavioral modifications, termed reflux precautions, are recommended.
Steps to recovery
- Take the proper amount of medicine
- Take the medicine regularly
- Take the medicine for the proper period of time
- Follow physician advice to prevent backflow of stomach fluids (reflux precautions)
- Go for follow-up check-ups with the physician
Avoid the following, if you have been diagnosed with reflux laryngitis
- Fats, especially fried foods
- Chocolates
- Mints
- Alcohol
- Any beverage with caffeine (tea, coffee)
- All soda/pop
- Tobacco
- In addition, certain foods and drinks can worsen mucosal irritation from backflow of stomach acids/enzymes: (spicy food, citrus products, tomato products)