Gurgling Sound in Throat When Lying Down: Is That Gerd?

By - Mehrosh Ahmer

There couldn’t be any worse situation than your friends lying down on a bed to watch a movie and all of a sudden your throat makes a gurgle! I can imagine how embarrassed you would be! Well, a gurgling throat after eating isn’t rare. In fact, many people experience weird sounds coming out of their throats when lying down. 

But what actually causes a gurgling sound in throat when lying down? 

There could be various reasons behind the weird sounds your throat is producing but when it comes to gurgling sounds, acid reflux tops the list! On the other hand, coughing and posture can also cause it. To get rid of these gurgles, you’ll have to dig up their root cause and focus on their treatment. 

In this write-up, you’ll learn about all the possible causes of gurgling sounds in throat when lying down and also how to treat them. So, continue reading. 

Causes of Gurgling Sound in Throat When Lying Down

If you’re experiencing a gurgling sound in throat when lying down, then don’t worry because it isn’t dangerous at all! Teenagers, adults, and even kids can experience such types of unusual sounds which are not a cause of concern till the time they persist for a longer duration. 

But what causes throat gurgling? Mostly, it happens as a result of swallowing problems, acid reflux, and if something sticks in the throat. 

Acid Reflux

Gurgling itself isn’t any clinical condition. In fact, it is just a symptom associated with many disorders. When you’re in a supine position, the most probable cause of constant gurgling in throat is the acidic contents of the stomach leaking back into the esophagus. So, can acid reflux cause gurgling in throat? 

When you consume food, it enters your food pipe/esophagus which has two sphincters. The lower esophageal sphincter is a gateway between the food pipe and your stomach so whenever food enters the stomach, the lower sphincter closes and prevents further entry or reflux of food from the stomach. 

When this sphincter becomes impotent, then the acidic mixture of food might come back into the esophagus leading to gurgling esophagus noise and thereby acid reflux.  

Symptoms

The primary indication of acid regurgitation is the burning sensation occurring in the chest, throat, and stomach. Some more include,  

To naturally prevent acid reflux, try avoiding spicy, oily, and junk food, keep yourself hydrated, and avoid citrus fruits for the time being because they are highly acidic in nature. Moreover, it’s time to say goodbye to the sedentary lifestyle and make some good changes to your daily life such as refraining from lying down after a meal, eating slowly, and elevating the head-side of the bed.  

So, this gurgling noise from the throat is pretty common in patients with GERD. The gurgling sound in the back of throat can even intensify when you lay down because when you’re suffering from acidity, the gastric acid becomes highly concentrated. Hence, lying down facilitates the backflow of acidic contents into the food pipe thereby leading to throat noises when lying down.

Other Reasons for Gurgling in the Throat

This was all about gurgling due to acid reflux. Another probable reason for croaking and gurgling sounds in the esophagus after swallowing food can be the consumption of any irritant that might be stuck in the throat and become a reason for those weird sounds. Sometimes an increase in the mucous production during cough also causes gurgling and bubbling in the throat. 

Another probable reason for throat gurgling is dysphagia which is a clinical condition characterized by difficulty in swallowing and this usually happens due to acid reflux or improper chewing and swallowing of food. Hence, this difficulty in swallowing is often accompanied by a gurgling sound in throat after eating.

Another rare cause can be reflux laryngitis (swollen vocal folds)  which is often caused due to GERD so the treatment can be done by either making changes to diet and lifestyle or by consuming antacids. 

How to Stop Gurgling in Throat?

Random gurgling in the throat might put you in a really awkward and embarrassing position especially when you’re in public. This unusual symptom doesn’t last much longer but if it persists, then you must look for proper treatment. To stop gurgling in the throat, you must be aware of its root cause first, which most probably would be any one of the aforementioned causes.     

Firstly, you must be careful about your body’s posture because a bad posture can give rise to numerous problems. Sometimes, bad posture becomes a reason for many abdominal problems including GERD. Lying down for longer duration soon after consuming a meal can be harmful and can cause acid reflux due to the lack of gravitational force. 

If the gurgling in your throat is due to acid reflux, then you must consult your doctor if it is persistent. Heartburn, chest pain, dysphagia, and burning sensations in the esophagus and stomach are the primary symptoms associated with acid regurgitation. 

You’ll have to avoid fizzy drinks, caffeinated drinks, and all those drinks which can cause acidity. Doctors usually advise such patients to keep their heads elevated so that gravity resists the backflow. Hence, you’ll have to say goodbye to the sedentary lifestyle and start working actively. 

If you experience a cough with gurgling sound in throat, then you should look for an appropriate treatment for it because a dry cough doesn’t usually produce such sounds but a cough with excess mucus might produce gurgling noises in the throat. 

Whatever reason it is for the gurgling and fizzing in throat when lying down, you must observe yourself to reach the root cause. Moreover, refrain from always assuming it to be acid regurgitation because the wrong medications won’t do any good to you.  

FAQs

Below you’ll find answers to questions we get asked the most about gurgling sound in throat when lying down.    

Why Do I Have a Gurgling Sound in My Throat?

You might experience it due to acid regurgitation which is the most common reason behind gurgles in the throat. What happens is that the highly acidic gastric contents of the stomach leak into the esophagus through the lower esophageal sphincter when you’re in a supine position causing bubbling in the throat. Moreover, an over-efficiency of mucus glands during cough can also cause it.  

Can Acid Reflux Cause Gurgles in the Throat?

Yes!  When there is an increase in the acidic contents of the stomach, the mixture might bubble up into the esophagus causing severe heartburn and gurgling noises. However, you must make sure that you’re also experiencing other symptoms associated with acid reflux such as heartburn, nausea, and chest pain so that you don’t consume the wrong medications. 

How to Stop the Gurgling Noise in the Throat?

To get rid of the gurgling noise in the throat, you must first find out its cause because the treatment depends upon it. If it’s due to acid reflux, then avoiding spicy, oily, and fatty food along with refraining from acidic food such as fizzy and caffeinated drinks can help. However, if cough is the real culprit, then intake of green tea and soups along with steaming might help. 

Takeaway

So, what actually causes a gurgling sound in throat when lying down? Well, such weird sounds in the throat are mainly caused due to acid regurgitation. However, such weird sounds aren’t dangerous. In fact, this gurgling noise is just a symptom of the underlying cause and not the disease itself which can either be acid reflux or simply a cough. 

To get rid of it, you must first figure out its actual cause and then focus on its treatment. Getting rid of the cause will automatically stop the weird gurgling noises coming out of your throat!