Sore Throat

Dear Dr. Meletis, I have had a sore throat for over 4 years plus gastrointestinal problems. I have tried many probiotics, CeaseFire®, GastricAid®, and have EZ Fiber™ on hand. I have had a stomach test and the results are low acid. Are these 2 conditions connected and what can I do about them please? Ms. P.

Dear Ms. P., I will assume you have had an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor evaluate your throat for possible causes. Having the throat cultured for both bacteria and fungus would be a starting place. Also ruling out acid reflux is essential. I have a general rule that I came up with when I was the Dean of Naturopathic Medicine and Chief Medical Officer at the oldest naturopathic college in North America; it is called the 3 P’s. If a symptom Persists, Progresses or is Pronounced it is time to become a Patient. Sounds like you have gone to doctors for evaluation, yet I will encourage you to not give up and continue to seek the cause. I will assume your tonsils are not the culprit, yet the ENT can assure you of this as well. Acid reflux is very common with low stomach acid issues; indeed, the lower stomach acid leads to slower stomach emptying and ultimately reflux. If decreased stomach acid is too acidic for the throat tissue, and 50 percent of all patients with reflux have what is called silent reflux that does not present with the classical burning of heart burn. Not drinking any liquids or eating two hours prior to bed is absolutely essential, to lessen potential throat irritation. A couple of supplement considerations include using Culturelle®, but instead of swallowing the capsule, actually emptying the contents into a teaspoon and swallowing the powder, and discarding the capsule itself. Doing the same with L-Glutamine 2 to 3 times per day also can help. Continuing with the CeaseFire, 1 to 2 tablets 2 minutes prior to each meal is a strong consideration. Also getting tested for H. pylori, the bacterium associated with gastric ulcers and reflux is a strong consideration. The information shared here is educational and is not intended as diagnosis or treatment. Sincerely, Chris D. Meletis, ND