Brief Answer: Its GERD leading to pharyngitis Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Thanks for writing to XXXXXXX This is Dr. Ashish Verma, a general surgeon, answering to your query. As you said that you have a past history of gerd...so you are more prone to get a recurrence. See, the thing is, gerd is an anatomical disease...it cant be totally cured by medicine alone. It occurs due to an incompetent lower esophageal sphincter...either the sphincter tone is less than normal or there is some malalingment of the junction between esophagus and stomach. Medical treatment focuses on two main things...one is to decrease the acid production from stomach by drugs like ppis...second is to increase the tone of that sphincter and facilitate early emptying of stomach by drugs like domperidone or levosulpride. But nicotine and caffeine causes sphincter relaxation and so does various chemicals present in your beatel leaf (paan). So unless you stop them completely, total remission is not possible. This acid when reaches the pharynx, causes irritation of the mucosa there, leading to infection and pain. Also in patient with gerd, dome degree of bile reflux is also present...so though you have stopped the acid production the bile can come up and cause the same symptoms and is more XXXXXXX than acid as it does not causes pain so goes undetected for a long time. So, what i would suggest that you stop smoking, paan, tea, coffee, soda, chocolate and fatty foods, and follow your gastoenterologist prescription and seen the results for a week or two. Also don't lie down for one hour after meals and put two pillows below your head while sleeping. Eat small frequent meals. Hope i have answered to all your queries. If you have further queries, i will be glad to answer them. Get well soon and follow the diet. Dr. Ashish Verma

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Brief Answer: can be ulcers, somatitis or pharyngitis..see a ent Detailed Answer: Hi, if pillows hurt...put a XXXXXXX under the legs on the head side of your bed to elevate it. For the sticky jelly like membrane from your mouth you need to see an ent specialist. It can be due to ulcers in mouth or pharyngitis...i cannot say for sure without a physical examination. Do gargles and take multivitamin capsules. Diet i had told you last time only. Stop smoking and eating paan. Avoid tea, coffee, soda drinks, chocolates, and fatty foods. As all of these relax the lower esophageal sphincter. Eat small but frequent meals and do not lie down for at least one hour after a meal. Hope i have answered all your queries. If you dont have further queries you can close thix discussion and rate the response. Regards Dr. Ashish Verma

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