Esophagitis is inflammation of the esophagus, which causes symptoms such as heartburn, bitter taste in the mouth, difficulty swallowing and sore throat, for example.
Inflammation of the esophagus can occur due to infections or gastritis, but it is more common due to gastric reflux, which happens when the contents of the stomach come into contact with the esophageal mucosa, causing inflammation. Learn more about gastric reflux.
Regardless of the type of esophagitis, the disease must be treated according to the doctor’s recommendation, and it may be recommended to use medications that reduce stomach acidity, for example. Esophagitis can be cured when the person follows medical recommendations and follows an adequate diet.
Symptoms of esophagitis
The main symptoms of esophagitis are:
- Heartburn and constant burning, which worsens after meals;
- Bitter taste in the mouth;
- Bad breath;
- Difficulty swallowing;
- Chest pain;
- Sore throat;
- Hoarseness.
Esophagitis symptoms tend to worsen after eating and are quite uncomfortable. In the presence of signs and symptoms of esophagitis, it is important that a gastroenterologist is consulted.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of esophagitis must be made by a gastroenterologist based on the symptoms presented by the person and their frequency.
To confirm your risk of esophagitis, make an appointment with the gastroenterologist closest to you:
In addition, the doctor may also request a digestive endoscopy exam, which is performed with the aim of evaluating the esophagus and identifying possible changes. Understand how endoscopy is performed and the preparation.
According to the severity and progression of symptoms, esophagitis can be classified as erosive or non-erosive, which refers to the appearance of lesions in the esophagus that may appear if the inflammation is not identified and treated correctly. Typically, erosive esophagitis occurs in more chronic cases of inflammation. Learn more about erosive esophagitis.
Main causes
Esophagitis can be classified into 4 main types according to its cause:
- Eosinophilic esophagitiswhich is usually due to food allergies or some other toxic substance, leading to an increase in the number of eosinophils in the blood;
- Medicated esophagitiswhich can be developed due to prolonged contact time of the medicine with the lining of the esophagus;
- Reflux esophagitisin which the acidic contents of the stomach return to the esophagus causing irritation;
- Esophagitis due to infectionswhich is the rarest type of esophagitis, but can occur in people who have a weakened immune system due to illness or age, and is characterized by the presence of bacteria, fungi or viruses in the person’s mouth or esophagus.
Furthermore, esophagitis can occur as a consequence of bulimia, in which there may be inflammation of the esophagus due to frequent vomiting, or it can be due to a hiatus hernia, which is a small bag that can be formed when a portion of the stomach passes through an orifice called gap. Understand what a hiatus hernia is
People who are most likely to suffer from esophagitis are those who are overweight, those who consume excessive alcohol and those who have a compromised immune system.
Understand better how esophagitis happens in the following video:
How the treatment is carried out
The treatment of esophagitis must be indicated by a gastroenterologist and the use of medications that inhibit acid production, such as omeprazole or esomeprazole, is usually recommended, in addition to the adoption of a more appropriate diet and lifestyle changes, such as avoid lying down after meals. In rarer cases, surgery may be recommended.
To avoid esophagitis, it is recommended not to lie down after meals, avoid consuming carbonated drinks and alcoholic beverages, as well as spicy and fatty foods. If esophagitis is not treated correctly, there may be some complications, such as the presence of ulcers in the esophagus, pre-cancerous changes in the esophageal lining and narrowing of an area of the esophagus, which makes it difficult to eat solid food. See what treatment should be like to cure esophagitis.
