Esophagitisis inflammation of youresophagus, the tube from your mouth to your stomach.
While a condition it its own right, diagnosis can’t stop there.
Reflux Esophagitis
Esophagitis is most commonly caused bygastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
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Most people will experience some reflux of stomach contents.
If only a little contact occurred, you may only have some irritation.
Further exposure increases your risk for the formation of ulcers or worse damage.
In children, caustic esophagitis is usually sparked by accidental ingestion.
If you suspect your child has ingested a chemical, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
If your child is having trouble breathing, call 911 immediately.
Medication-Induced Esophagitis
Esophagitis sparked by medications is rare.
It only occurs in about four out of every 100,000 people per year.
This can increase your risk of developing esophagitis.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic/immune response.
One of the main identified risk factors for the development of eosinophilic esophagitis is allergies to foods.
Environmental factors have also been identified as a possible factor in acquiring eosinophilic esophagitis.
The rationale for this is similar to environmental risk factors associated with asthma and inflammatory skin disorders.
One of the more common causes is radiation treatment for lung cancer.
Several months may be required for healing, if any, to occur.
Typically, an endoscopy would be the first test, but not always.
Endoscopy
Also known as an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), this is performed as an outpatient procedure.
A gastroenterologist will look at your esophagus, stomach, and upper intestine with a scope.
They will check for signs of inflammation or ulceration and attempt to identify any causes of your symptoms.
Biopsies are usually taken to look for any infectious causes.
The barium coats your esophagus, which then shows up white on imaging.
This will allow your healthcare provider to see if you have any obstructions or narrowing in your esophagus.
If cancer is being considered, acomputed tomography (CT)scan may also be ordered.
Esophageal Manometry
A third possibility is theesophageal manometryexam, which measures how well your esophagus is working.
As your healthcare provider pulls the tube back out, you will be asked to swallow.
The tube measures the pressure of the esophageal contractions.
Other Tests
It is possible that further punch in-specific testing may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
However, this may not always identify all the foods you should avoid.
You should be treated with a PPI for four to eight weeks.
After at least four weeks, your healthcare provider should reevaluate your symptoms.
Oral Solutions
Treatment ofesophagitis related to chemo and radiationwill involve viscous lidocaine to numb your esophagus.
Prednisone is, however, the treatment of choice if you are diagnosed withaphthous esophagitis.
It is the first and only approved oral treatment for EoE and is taken twice daily for 12 weeks.
Dupixent is injected subcutaneously (under the skin) once weekly or every other week.
Medication Cessation
Treatment for any key in ofmedication-induced esophagitisconsists of stopping the medication.
If you are unable to stop the medication, your healthcare provider may order a liquid version.
In general, medication-induced esophagitis will resolve quickly without any long-term effects if the damage is stopped early.
Typically you will see improvements in as soon as a few days.
Never stop taking a medication without your prescribing healthcare provider’s approval.
Testing can help you identify what foods are at the heart of your esophagitis.
Chronic esophagitis can destroy the tissue of the esophagus.
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