A new study from the University of Southampton has found that having problems in your throat could make it harder for your body to control blood pressure.
This discovery helps explain why some people with throat issues may feel dizzy or lightheaded, especially when standing up quickly.
The research, led by Professor Reza Nouraei and published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, is the first to show that throat symptoms can reduce something called baroreflex sensitivity.
This is an important job done by the body’s autonomic nervous system. This system helps keep blood pressure stable by adjusting your heart rate and the tightness of your blood vessels.
The baroreflex acts like a safety tool in the body. It helps keep your blood pressure steady so you don’t faint or feel dizzy when you move. But the researchers found that in people with throat issues, this system doesn’t work as well.
One of the body’s most important nerves, the vagus nerve, may be behind this. The vagus nerve helps manage many body functions, including your heartbeat, digestion, breathing, and blood pressure. But it also plays a big role in protecting the throat—especially during swallowing, when it makes sure food doesn’t go into the lungs.
Professor Nouraei explained that when the throat is irritated or not working properly, the body might focus more on protecting the airways than on controlling blood pressure. This might explain why the baroreflex becomes weaker in people with throat issues.
Common throat problems include the feeling of a lump in the throat, frequent coughing, or trouble swallowing. These problems can happen after a viral infection like COVID-19 or from acid reflux, where stomach acid comes up and irritates the throat.
In this study, researchers looked at two groups of patients. One group had throat symptoms, and the other had digestive symptoms.
Both groups had issues with acid reflux, but the people with throat symptoms had higher resting heart rates, lower blood pressure, and poorer baroreflex sensitivity. This shows that the throat problems may affect how well the body manages blood pressure.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors have seen more patients with throat-related problems, and this study may help explain why some of them also experience issues with their heart or circulation. If the body cannot control blood pressure well, it may raise the risk of heart attacks or strokes.
This research highlights the importance of the vagus nerve and how closely connected it is to many parts of our health. Fixing throat problems might free up the vagus nerve to help other parts of the body, such as the heart and digestive system.
Professor Nouraei said this study encourages doctors to look at patient health in a more complete way. If throat problems are affecting blood pressure, they should not be ignored.
The researchers now plan to study what happens to the body over time when throat issues are treated, and whether this helps improve the vagus nerve’s function and overall health.
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