That “Lump in Your Throat” Might Not Be Anxiety: Dr. Juna discusses "Silent Acid Reflux: Prevention and Treatment" with renowned author and ENT specialist, Dr. Aviv

That “Lump in Your Throat” Might Not Be Anxiety: Dr. Juna discusses "Silent Acid Reflux: Prevention and Treatment" with renowned author and ENT specialist, Dr. Aviv

From MindBodySpace by Dr. Juna Bobby

May 21, 2026 · 39 min · Episode 159

About this episode

Dr. Juna discusses silent acid reflux and its symptoms with Dr. Aviv, exploring prevention and treatment options.

That “lump in your throat” might be a symptom of something more chronic. In this episode of the MindBodySpace Podcast, Dr. Juna sits down with her own doctor, Dr. Jonathan Aviv—ENT physician, Columbia professor, clinical professor at Mount Sinai, and author of The Acid Watcher Diet . We talk about silent reflux, acid influx, and a stomach enzyme called pepsin that may sit in the throat, mouth, nose, and sinuses—and then get reactivated by acidic foods and drinks. This matters because reflux does not always feel like heartburn and chronic reflux can lead to problems benign and pre-cancerous. Sometimes it feels like: ✔️ chronic cough ✔️ hoarseness ✔️ constant throat clearing ✔️ post-nasal drip ✔️ a lump in your throat ✔️ waking up at night feeling like you can’t breathe Dr. Aviv also explains why some “healthy” flavored drinks, sparkling waters, sports drinks, vinegar, citrus, tomato sauce, and wine can be triggers for some people—and why the solution does not have to be a miserable, restrictive diet. This is where tracking matters. Changing your diet is not just willpower. It’s pattern recognition. The RELAX TO SOAR™ planner helps you track food, sleep, stress, exercise, routines…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Juna Bobby

Guest: Dr. Jonathan Aviv

Topics covered

  • silent reflux
  • acid reflux
  • health
  • diet
  • symptoms
  • treatment

Keywords

  • silent reflux
  • acid reflux
  • chronic cough
  • diet
  • pepsin
  • health tips
  • symptoms

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Columbia, Mount Sinai

Books & works: The Acid Watcher Diet

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