GERD LPR and asthma story

I'm a life-long heartburn sufferer owing to a hiatus hernia, which has been treated for years with lansoprazole. Gradually things have become more challenging, with increasing care needed over diet, timing of meals, amount of alcohol, and so on.

After the latest major flare up (usually central chest pain for me), I had a new symptom of burning much higher in the chest, even up to throat level, which is the most persistent symptom, and a sensation of something being stuck in the throat, with phlegm, clearing of throat and periodic hoarseness. The last two symptoms I normally have to a degree, which have been treated for years with steroids for asthma.

My PPI has been switched to very high dose esomeprazole for one month (2 x 40mg), plus 800mg cimetidine just before bed to try to get on top of the burning. After 2 weeks, and also with an elevated bed and a strict GERD friendly diet, there is now some small improvement on the burning sensation.

However, my "asthma" symptoms have been completely wiped out, almost immediately! Has anyone else seen asthma symptoms improve with better acid control? I'm beginning to think that the cause of my asthma is actually my hiatus hernia/acid leakage, and that steroid inhalers are not actually tackling the root cause.

Any other tips for control of burning from sternum to throat would also be appreciated. I cannot go any higher on the PPI/H2's and this is one month only, and I was thinking more of the 'complementary' medicine. Of all the stuff on the internet, what REALLY works. Comments on ginger specifically would be appreciated, it seems to get a lot of good press, but strikes me as being quite a spicy thing to take and not an obvious GERD-friendly substance.

Thanks!