*** Disclaimer: This commentary does NOT provide medical advice. ***
If you have questions and/or about your own LPR symptoms, please consult a medical professional.
This past weekend, United States President Joe Biden received his annual health check-up, whose summary is now available at the White House website. The report highlights that Biden “experiences occasional symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux [GERD], primarily having to clear his throat more often,” which are “exacerbated shortly after meals.”
Kevin O’Conner, D.O., FAAFP, the Physician to the President, noted that Biden’s vocal folds’ “appearance and functions are normal”, as well as not having any signs of ulcers or cancerous growth. However, Biden’s endoscopy findings showed “changes associated with persistent [GERD]” in the “tracheal, esophageal, and pharyngeal epithelium.”
So what does that mean? Let’s unpack that.
The term epithelium is a fancy term for the outermost layer of cells that protects organs. The epithelium has finer structures to produce mucus and remove foreign materials from the organs. While O’Conner did not elaborate on the said changes, he noticed some sort of impact in the “tracheal, esophageal, and pharyngeal epithelium”.
In other words, his reflux symptoms are affecting the protective linings in his esophagus, trachea, and throat.
Let’s recall the symptomatic differences between GERD and LPR:
While both are reflux, LPR creates a greater impact than GERD, since gastric contents spilled not just the esophagus, but also the pharyngeal and laryngeal regions. While GERD is more well known to the public as reflux, there is a need to clarify the symptoms of LPR, primarily as an educational moment for the public.
Here are some questions that remain to be answered:
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If there are changes in the tracheal and pharyngeal epithelium, does that mean that the gastric content is spilling beyond the esophagus, i.e., throat and into the larynx?
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If there is an increasing need for Biden to clear his throat, why not increase his current medication or try a different type?
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Since this is a brief summary of the President’s current health condition, were some wordings modified for the public’s ease of understanding?
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Does President Biden have LPR?
