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Laryngopharyngeal reflux is reflux of stomach contents
into the larynx or pharynx, which is the throat,
and it usually presents with symptoms of hoarseness,
coughing, clearing, mucus,
feeling like something's in your throat,
which we call "globus," or maybe a sore throat.
Interestingly, less than 50 percent
of the people with laryngopharyngeal reflux
will complain of any heartburn or indigestion.
That's because the esophagus and the throat are different.
The esophagus has barriers against reflux
when the throat doesn't,
so people can have the throat symptoms that we spoke about,
but not the heartburn or indigestion
because that small amount of reflux
that causes the irritation in the throat is not enough
to cause the heartburn and indigestion that you have
when you have more GERD
or prolonged exposure in the esophagus.