Esophagitis – What is it, Symptoms and Treatments!
Esophagitis – What is it, Symptoms and Treatments of this disease of the esophagus. Also, Esophagitis is any inflammation or irritation of the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube that sends food from the throat to the stomach . Common causes include acid reflux, side effects of certain medications , and bacterial or viral infections. Reflux is when stomach contents and acids back up into the esophagus.
This disorder can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including swallowing problems, sore throat and heartburn. Untreated esophagitis can lead to ulcers or even severe narrowing of the esophagus, which can be a medical emergency.
Your treatment options and outlook depend on the exact cause of your condition. Most healthy people get better, with proper treatment, within two to four weeks. Recovery may take longer for people with a weakened immune system or infection.
Causes of Esophagitis: Reflux Esophagitis: One of the most common forms of Esophagitis , it is considered a complication of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. In this case, stomach acids that return to the esophagus with reflux cause chronic inflammation and damage to the organ’s lining, giving rise to reflux esophagitis .
Eosinophilic esophagitis: This type of disease is more common in people who have a food allergy. Eosinophils, blood cells responsible for the body’s defense, are concentrated in the region of the esophagus in response to the action of an allergic agent, causing esophagitis.
Infectious Esophagitis: Esophagitis can also be caused by viral, bacterial, fungal infection or through a parasite in the tissue lining the esophagus, these cases are called Infectious Esophagitis and are rarer. They usually affect people with immunity problems.
Esophagitis Caused by Medications: Some Medications can cause damage to the lining of the esophagus, especially if left in contact with it for a long time. Therefore, it is not recommended to take medicine with little or no water, as the liquid helps the medicine complete its path to the stomach and avoids prolonged contact with the esophagus.
Risk Factors: obesity, smoking, pregnancy, hiatal hernia, family history of the disease or food allergies and immunosuppressive diseases.
The diagnosis of the disease is made from an endoscopy, an exam that inserts a tube with a camera attached down the throat to the esophagus and allows the doctor to see the inside of the organ and collect material for laboratory tests.
Symptoms of Esophagitis: Symptoms of Esophagitis include:
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- Pain when you swallow (odynophagia)
- sore throat
- hoarse voice
- asia
- acid reflux
- Chest pain (worse with eating)
- nausea
- vomit
- abdominal pain
- decreased appetite
- cough
Esophagitis Treatments: Treatment depends on the specific cause of your symptoms. Medicationscan include :
- antiviral drugs
- antifungal drugs
- antacids
- Analgesics
- oral steroids
- Proton pump inhibitors (these Drugs block the production of stomach acid)
If food allergies cause your condition, you should identify trigger foods and eliminate them from your diet. Common food triggers include tomatoes, citrus fruits, spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, onions, garlic, mint, and chocolate. You can also relieve your symptoms by avoiding spicy foods, acidic foods and drinks, and raw or hard foods.
Take smaller bites and chew your food well. You should avoid tobacco and alcohol, which increases inflammation and suppresses the immune system. Consult your doctor about dietary guidelines.
Surgery to dilate the esophagus may be necessary if the esophagus becomes too narrow and causes food to lodge. If your symptoms are due to medication, you will need to drink more water, take a liquid version of the medication, or try a different medication. You may need to refrain from lying down for 30 minutes after taking medication in pill form.