Can acid reflux make you cough?

Persistent cough is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, according to Healthline. Researchers estimate that as many as 25 percent of chronic cough cases result from GERD. Most people experiencing chronic cough as a GERD symptom do not experience other classic GERD symptoms, such as heartburn.

Chronic cough caused by GERD is usually an unproductive cough that occurs while the person is in an upright position, typically during the day, notes Healthline. The cough usually occurs without symptoms of postnasal drip or asthma, and X-ray studies of the chest are typically normal when the cough results from GERD.