Somewhat tangential, but I have a story about acid reflux that I think is worth sharing for anyone who is in a similar boat. Basically, I was having reflux symptoms minus the heartburn. Lots of throat issues, digestive issues, coughing, etc. My doctor looked everything over and concluded that reflux was the most likely cause and we did a treatment of PPIs for a few weeks. The PPI didn't help, but by the time the trea…
Note that I am not a doctor, but I have my own theories that I want to share: post-nasal drip results in more swallowing, which triggers more acid production, which in turn results in more of the stomach content (ie. acid) getting back into the esophagus, hence GERD.
Acid that reaches high in the throat, for instance while lying down, will likely cause burning that will also result in post-nasal drip or similar symptoms. See the problem here? One issue amplifies the other. That's why once you get into a bad state it's difficult to return to some normality.
Also, other digestive system issues, such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), depending on the type and rootcause, will result in GERD. For instance, if you are often bloated, your digestive system may be slowed down significantly, which means there's no place for the stomach content to move into. Hence, more of the content may return into your esophagus.
The good news is that if there's no other underlying condition, these issues can be kept in check with lifestyle changes: diet and exercise (walking seems to be helping a lot; no surprise there, since humans have evolved to walk long distances; also no surprise that a sedentary lifestyle has so many negative effects on us).
Edit: there also seems to be a link between GERD and asthma, in the sense that acid reaching the airways, including lungs, may cause asthma.