Ammonia burning feeling in nose and throat

Has anyone spoken to you about the type of food/drink that you consume? I personally have found over the last few years that I can control most of my symptoms by being careful about what I eat and drink, I do not drink alcohol and try and avoid the obvious spicy food although not to the extent that my diet is too boring. Making meal time interesting is part of it all and can even be fun (sometimes) as they say we are what we eat. Don't get me wrong I am not fanatical about this just mindful and careful, I certainly think I feel much more in control now.

Since you do have reflux with and without the acid, it could well be that this is the main cause of your throat and nose issues, for even non-acidid reflux can be damaging to eospohageal tissues. And iron vitamin pils can irritate the stomachs of some people. PPI medicines can also have side-effects, so read their leaflets just so you are aware of them and the possibiliity of them.

As robtheprint says, and I find the same is true through my dietary measures for gastritis and its associated relfux, what and how you eat can make a difference to the degree of trouble and the progress of improvement. Maybe some of what I do may help you even a little bit in time, and you can read other people's advice, and that at the Down With Acid website, which the Patient poster Barretts is involved with. Best wishes.

Several small/medium meals per day (I have seven, one every two hours or so), rather than fewer bigger ones, so you don't overfill your stomach and aggravate the issues. Eat relaxed, chew well. Be sat upright for and after meals, not bent or reclining, so you don't squash your stomach and press its contents upwards.

You might find some foods are ok or bad with you compared to other people, so it's a matter of experimentation, but fried foods, high-fat foods, high-salt foods, tomatoes, carbonated drinks, caffeine, alcohol and chocolate can all impact on stomach and reflux troubles. Spicy and hot foods can also hurt some people. Minty foods relax the lower eosophageal muscle which can let acid up easier, so they are bad. I use a fruity toothpaste.

Wholewheat bread, cereals, bananas, hardboiled eggs are a few of the foods that suit me, but there are pulses, rice, various beans (not kidney beans apparently) and many other things to try. Chicken is one of the best meats due to its lower fat content, though even that can hit me and is not eaten lately.

Stress and excercise that pressure and squeeze the stomach are also to be avoided. Be as calm and stress-free as you can.

Having your last meal a few hours before bed can prevent or lessen reflux at night, but I found that waiting to be too empty caused hunger discomfort and kept me awake. Because of this I lie-down about an hour and a half to two hours after last meal, and this is much better. I lie raised a bit on three pillows, on my right side, which is best for me, though the left side is usually recommended.

Another thing that helps me greatly is to not burp after ten minutes after eating, as this can bring acid up and cause heartburn.

I came off lansoprazole when it made my throat and mouth intolerably dry, and some of the potential side effects of your PPI is sore throat, runny or congested nose, but I expect the doctor's considered that and ruled it out. Another thing which comes to mind, though it is only a wild suggestion due to my own allergies to certain things, is if you were breathing in an irritating house air-freshener or pot-pourri? The chemicals in such things can play havoc with me and other people within minutes. Same with scented washing powders and scented deoderants, all of which are now avoided entirely. I even had nasal polyps surgery as a result of years of allergic reaction and nose-runniness, not that your nose is runny. But still, it's just an idea worth mentioning.

I have been reading your article and am particularly interested in it as my 82nd yr old mum is suffering terribly at the moment with gas. By that, she says that it feels like the gas is constantly coming up her throat or  down her nose and sometimes it even feels as if it is burning her eyes. She says that sometimes she feels that if she lit a match it would ignite, that's how bad it is for her. She has had a camera down her throat, so hiatus hernia has been ruled out, shes had her breathing checked out and thats ok, she;s had a barium drink but we just can't seem to get to the bottom of it. Everyone says it must be wind, but mum is adamant it's not wind as she doesn't belch or do the other end either. I was wondering if you are any further resolving your health problem and whether you have any advice that may help my mum. Many thanks

Are you any further forward in finding out what is causing the ammonia problem?

My name is Shelly and I am 48 and I have the same issues after my adrenal glands were removed in October. I have been on Omperazole (PPI) for almost 5 years. I have a cancer that produces too much stomach acid (gastrinoma). I have never had trouble with my Omperazole before, but after my adrenal glands were removed, I had to increase my dose to 80 mg per day instead of 40 mg due to this minty burning sensation in my throat. I do have a small hiatal hernia as well. I feel a minty, burning sensation (like VICKS medicine) in my throat only. It did get worse today after I ate spicy food, I have some luck chewing sugar free gum after small meals to keep the stomach acid down. LIke you, all of my tests come back normal. I am not sure if our stomach acid is creating a gas that is irritating the throat? My tissues are all normal/non irritated. It is driving me nuts because no one knows what it is and I go to the MAYO CLINIC in Rochester, MN. It makes it hard to eat or enjoy life when you constantly have a minty-burning sensation in your throat. I am wondering, after all the tests you have been through, if you ever got any definite answer as the what is causing this? LIke I said, I had no problems until my adrenal glands were removed, so wondering if some of this is hormonal? I have also noticed that during my menstrual cycle my symptoms are less. Let me know if you found anything out...thanks so much! Shelly form MN, U.S.A.