Be Alert, Coughs That Don't Heal Can Be A Sign That GERD Attacks

Illustration of cough people (Pexels/cottobro studio)

JAKARTA - Cough can turn out to be a sign that a person has GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. GERD is a stomach acid disease, a chronic condition where stomach acid or other contents rise back into the concavity (esofagus).

The type of cough that should be watched out for as a sign of GERD is a cough that appears even though there is no disturbance in the lungs or respiratory tract. This cough usually lasts a long time and does not recover even though you have taken cough medicine in general.

Chairman of the Executive Board of the Indonesian Gastroenterology Association (PB PGI), Prof. Ari Fahrial Syam, said that coughing due to GERD will get worse if the patient sleeps on his back or when laughing loudly.

"For GERD patients, if you sleep on your back, you will cough up more. Then if you laugh too much, it can stimulate the reflux, finally cough," said Prof. Ari, during Daewoong Media Dialogue, in the SCBD area, Jakarta, on Thursday, August 14, 2025.

Cough due to GERD is also usually a type of dry cough. This is because the absorption of stomach acid irritates the running area, which is an organ located in the front neck that connects the throat (faring) with the trakea (low throat).

"The cough is dry, usually. This is because the ring of stomach acid irritates the larang area and finally coughs," he said.

In addition, Prof. Ari also said that fatigue and stress can worsen stomach acid conditions. In the end, this will also make you cough and not recover.

"Rest insufficient rest, stress, and others can increase stomach acid, so it can increase cough too. Fatigue stimulates stomach acid too, worsens the situation," concluded Prof Ari.