Everything you want to know about esophagitis is in this article, you will learn about its symptoms, what the disease is about, its causes and most importantly, you will learn how to prevent it; because “warned war does not kill soldier” goes the saying.
Before going specifically to the disease, I want to talk a little about what the esophagus is, this is a muscular tube that is responsible for transporting food from the mouth to the stomach; The internal esophageal sphincter is separated, its function is to prevent gastric reflux from the stomach at all.
The person can suffer esophagitis (we will see the concept shortly) and depending on the causative agent, it is differentiated between peptic esophagitis, biliary esophagitis or alkaline esophagitis. Or it can be caused by the herpes simplex virus, or by candida since there are several species of candida that inhabit the throat and become pathogenic by diabetes, or antibiotic treatments.
Whatever the cause, esophagitis is treatable and does not usually need complicated treatments, but these cause weight loss, you should also sleep with your head elevated, and remove any factor that increases abdominal pressure. You should avoid tobacco and strong medications like aspirin and ibuprofen.
Of course, everything that I have mentioned so far is only a snack, because from now on we are going to delve a little more about esophagitis , in case the doctor has diagnosed it or simply because of the symptoms you suspect that you have it .
Index
What do we call esophagitis?
Knowing what esophagitis is itself will help you understand what your condition is about, because the doctors only tell you the name of the disease and the solution, it is a good thing and what you really want when you go to see the doctor. doctor, to tell you what is the solution to heal quickly. However, the term esophagitis may generate curiosity, because if you suffer from it it is natural that you want to know what it is.
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This disease is an injury to the esophageal mucosa, and when inflamed it can damage the tissues of the esophagus, which as you already know is the muscular tube responsible for transporting food from the mouth to the stomach.
The person suffering from esophagitis has pain and burning which makes it difficult to swallow food; Its causes are various, but the most frequent is due to the reflux of gastric content that penetrates the esophagus, or the intestinal tract.
When you feel a lot of pain when swallowing and this becomes very difficult, because you feel a strong pain in the chest, it is very possible that you are suffering from esophagitis for the aforementioned reason; due to infection or allergies.
Characteristics of esophagitis
Esophagitis is characterized by:
- Dysphagia.
- Growth disorders
- Vomiting
- Precordial or epigastric pain.
- Retention of food in the esophagus.
- It predominates in young men with a high rate of atopic diseases.
- Adults are also affected by esophagitis.
- The disease evolves chronically.
- Without spontaneous remission.
- Some patients have significant seasonal variations.
- Exposure to inhalation allergens can trigger esophagitis.
Causes of esophagitis
The esophagitis is caused by different factors that cause reflux of stomach irritation of esophagus tissue, since this liquid acid; and the autoimmune disorder known as eosinophilic esophagitis is also responsible for this condition.
These factors are: alcohol consumption, cigarettes, surgeries or radiation to the chest, to mention an example: the treatment that is done to cure lung cancer, in addition to the medicines that are taken without almost water, and the medicines which include risedronate, alendronate, tetracycline, doxycycline, ibandronate, vitamin C, and potassium lozenges.
Another factor that causes or aggravates esophagitis is the herpes virus or cytomegalovirus, especially in people with weakened immune systems from these herpes infections or from yeast infections such as candida. Vomiting is a symptom of esophagitis, but it is the common cause in bulimic people who, after vomiting so much, begin to develop esophagitis.
How can esophagitis be detected?
Esophagitis is detected through studies that the doctor performs, before ordering any laboratory test or exam, he will ask you some questions that have to do with the symptoms that made you go to him, and what you have ingested before starting to suffer them.
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Endoscopy (we will delve into this test below) is what the doctor will do to determine what you are suffering from, since the burning symptom is also characteristic of gastritis.
This test can also take a sample of cells to determine if you have an infection, and check for inflammation or the presence of cancer cells. Esophagitis can also be detected through a barium drink for an X-ray of the throat and esophagus, this calcareous liquid will cover the inside of the esophagus so that the X-ray is completely clear.
Histology of esophagitis
Histologically, diagnosed esophagitis occurs in 61% to 83% of infants due to reflux, most of the stenotic lesions of the esophagus are related to this, with reflux, but when there is no presence of esophagitis, other causes of stricture should be considered.
When the epithelium is exposed to the reflux material, it reacts with hyperplastic changes that prevent the rupture of the gastric mucosa lining, but if the impermeability of the stratified squamous epithelium is altered, a back-diffusion of H + will occur, with a secondary histological lesion.
This is because the composition of the reflux material is acid, pepsin, and bile salts, causing inflammatory changes and esophageal strictures of varying degrees of severity.
Diagnosis of esophagitis
The diagnosis of esophagitis will be based on the answers you give the doctor, who will ask you a series of specific questions, then proceed to do a physical examination and tests to confirm that you have esophagitis; These tests or exams are:
Barium X-ray
The barium X-ray is the one that the doctor sends you to perform after he suspects from your answers that you have esophagitis. To perform this test you must take a solution that contains barium, or it could also be a pill coated with this compound.
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The barium is responsible for coating the tissue that lines the esophagus and also the stomach, making the organs more visible, so the X-ray images will be clearer and will help to identify the narrowing of the esophagus due to inflammation, as well as other structural changes, a hiatal hernia, tumors, and other abnormalities that may be causing these symptoms.
Medical endoscopy
Another of the tests that doctors order to perform is an endoscopy, this consists of the insertion of a long and very thin tube, which is equipped at the end with a mini camera, slowly introducing it to the throat and esophagus, but the patient is usually anesthetized.
This instrument (the endoscope) projects the images to a screen and as the doctor observes, he will detect if your condition is indeed esophagitis, since any unusual appearance will be seen in the esophagus.
This device also allows your doctor to extract a tissue sample that he will later analyze. What the doctor observes is that the esophagus looks different depending on what is causing the inflammatory lesion.
Laboratory analysis
When the doctor removes the tissue sample during endoscopy or biopsy, it is sent to the laboratory for analysis. The sample can be used for the following:
- It is used to diagnose a bacterial infection, or viral or fungal infections.
- It is also used to determine the concentration of white blood cells (eosinophils) associated with allergies.
- In addition, it will allow the doctor to identify abnormal cells that indicate esophageal cancer.
Grades and levels of esophagitis
Esophagitis manifests itself in different degrees and levels, let’s see in which:
Acute erosive
Acute erosive esophagitis develops into an ulcer in areas of the esophageal mucosa that become inflamed. The most frequent cause is due to chronic acid reflux, that is, when corrosive substances such as cleaning products end up eroding the esophagus if they are accidentally and deliberately swallowed.
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The acetylsalicylic acid present in aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as alendronate, tetracillin or doxycycline and some large iron and potassium tablets, are the cause of painful erosions that initially and temporarily lodge in the esophagus.
When a pill gets stuck in the esophagus, it will generate an ulcer in the area, however, it can be swallowed if you ingest large amounts of water, thus avoiding the ulcer and in a few hours you will feel great relief.
Very rarely, erosions caused by corrosive substances or pills persist, thus causing narrowing of the esophagus.
Chronicle
The chronic esophagitis is commonly produced by the result of several episodes of acute inflammation. Most of the patients who attend the consultation are men, only 14% present esophagitis when performing an endoscopy, 79% to 88% develop a hiatal hernia. The incidence of esophagitis is increasing rapidly, especially that caused by reflux.
This acid esophagitis usually induces a contraction in the longitudinal smooth muscle, with response, and an alteration of the muscular contractility of the circular smooth muscle; which will get complicated and turn into chronic esophagitis.
Esophagitis and affected organs
The main affected organ, as we have already said, is the esophagus, which is similar to a tube that begins in the back of the mouth and ends in the stomach, its primary function is to transfer food to the stomach, drinks and everything you eat like medicines.
It is like any other organ, sensitive to corrosive agents, and to strong and irritating foods and drugs, because before causing damage to the stomach it will first pass through the esophagus, but what affects it the most is gastric reflux. This is why the organ affected by esophagitis is the esophagus, it will present inflammations, irritations or ulcers and swelling.
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Types of esophagitis
Esophagitis can be of different types: reflux, mild distal, erosive distal, eosinophilic, acute necrotizing, obstructive, and ulcerative. We will talk about each type of esophagitis below.
Ebb
Gastroesophageal reflux esophagitis manifests when acid reflux is a continuous problem, this complication leads to chronic inflammation and therefore serious damage to the tissues of the esophagus.
The process is as follows: there is a valve-like structure, the lower esophageal sphincter; This keeps all the stomach contents out of the esophagus; But if this valve opens at a time that it shouldn’t, or if the valve doesn’t close properly, stomach contents can back up into the esophagus causing GERD.
Mild distal
The type of mild distal esophagitis is a very mild inflammation of the esophagus that does not represent a serious disease at first, but it must be treated according to what the doctor tells you, and as soon as possible because it could be progressive and become a major problem.
Erosive distal
The type of erosive distal esophagitis is the one that presents erosions, of course, it can become a serious and annoying disease where bleeding, ulceration and narrowing of the esophagus appear, difficulty swallowing and as a consequence it will remove your voracious appetite and replace it by lack of appetite for fear of hurt you.
With a good diet and some specific medications indicated to control heartburn, you could improve quickly. However, it is important that you do not self-medicate, anything you ingest in this condition can aggravate you since it is the esophagus, nothing will reach the stomach if your esophagus is not well at all.
Eosinophilic
The eosinophilic esophagitis caused some foods that allergy tests are not identified reliably; The following foods have been reported as a cause of eosinophilic esophagitis:
- milk.
- the eggs.
- soybeans.
- peanuts.
- the beans.
- rye.
- and beef.
Having this disease means that you are prone to other allergies that have nothing to do with food, such as: those allergens that you inhale, pollen is one of them.
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Acute necrotizing
Known by its initials ENA, that is, acute necrotizing esophagitis, it is a rare disease, where its etiology is unknown, the pathogenic mechanism is multifactorial, fundamentally ischemic involvement, malnutrition, as well as upper digestive tract obstruction participate.
The results of an endoscopy show a blackish coloration of the esophageal mucosa with an abrupt transition at the level of the esophagogastric junction. To know the prognosis, diseases are studied, retrospective information is reviewed and collected during the last two years, risks, endoscopy findings, their treatment and evolution are analyzed.
Obstructive
The obstructive esophagitis is the first reason why people attending physician, because they have difficulty swallowing, is precisely why hardly evolve, but if not treated early can occur esophageal obstruction complete by the accumulation of food bolus or foreign body.
Ulcerative
The esophagitis colitis occurs when the disease penetrates deeply into the esophageal mucosa, this is because emissions acid became chronic so erosions or ulcers occur.
Emissions are the main cause but they are also found to cause surgery, a diaphragmatic hernia, holes, duodenal ulcer, burns, gastric infections, consuming too much spice, the damage caused by the insertion of the probe or damage caused by radiation therapy.
Symptoms of esophagitis in adults
The symptoms that adults present when having esophagitis have been mentioned throughout the article, but they have not been listed, so here are the symptoms that an adult may feel when having esophagitis:
- Swallows with great difficulty.
- It hurts when trying to swallow.
- You feel pain in your chest, especially behind your breastbone when you eat.
- Either everything or most of it gets stuck in the esophagus.
- Feel a lot of acidity, and burning in the throat and chest.
- Has acid regurgitation.
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Symptoms of esophagitis in infants
Infants tend to have esophagitis because they vomit or regurgitate very often when they take their breast milk more than they need, and they become too full or when they refuse to take it, feel irritability and vomit even more.
While older children suffer from symptoms such as heartburn or burning, chest pain, or epigastric, that is, in the pit of the stomach. If you suspect that your baby has esophagitis, avoid giving him citrus juices, and take him to the pediatrician, he will do the corresponding checkup and give you the necessary indications for your baby to improve.
Esophagitis during pregnancy
If you are pregnant you must already be presenting hormonal and physical changes, it is a necessary process where you more than your baby expose you to various conditions typical of pregnancy. Certainly it cannot be generalized because each individual is unique and original, and what one suffers may not be the other.
However, we can speak of between 60 and 70% of pregnant women have certain pathologies that bring discomfort to the mother, but that are controllable, for example: heartburn , is a burning symptom in the pit of the stomach initially and rises down the esophagus into the trachea; It is accompanied by reflux of the food, which presents a taste so acidic when it rises again that it is almost intolerable because of how unpleasant it is.
If it is treated in time, you really should not go through this symptom, but if you consider that you will not be one of the pregnant women who suffers from inflammation in the esophagus due to acid, it may be late when you want to treat yourself and you already suffer from esophagitis.
The Barrett ‘s esophagus is another consequence affecting the organ within the digestive system, is an esophagus that has special histologic features contributing to acid production. When this is the case, an endoscopic control is performed and, if necessary, surgical treatment.
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Complications of esophagitis
As all diseases that are not treated are complicated, esophagitis is one of them, since by letting it evolve or worsen it by ingesting out of ignorance what you should not, for example: spicy food because it would lead to changes in the structure and function of the esophagus, obtaining the following possible complications:
- Rings of abnormal tissue in the lining of the esophagus known as esophageal rings.
- You can suffer from esophageal stricture, which is the narrowing of the esophagus.
- There is also a condition called Barret’s esophagus. Here the cells that line the esophagus change and become a risk factor for esophageal cancer.
Foods allowed with esophagitis
In order to quickly improve esophagitis, you should include in your diet foods that soften the esophageal mucosa, because it is important that you calm the irritation, here are some recommended foods for when you have esophagitis:
- It is good that you consume purees, creams and pudding.
- Include high-fiber vegetables, but be sure to avoid acidic ones like tomatoes.
- Do not eat hot, and it is better that they are in porridge because very solid can hurt your esophagitis.
Forbidden foods with esophagitis
Clearly there are foods that worsen your condition, and if you do not know this information you can aggravate esophagitis by consuming them; But here is a list of the prohibited foods with esophagitis:
- Avoid spicy foods.
- You cannot consume spicy foods.
- You should avoid sauces made from tomato.
- Do not eat garlic or onion.
- If you consume acidic or citrus fruits you will worsen esophagitis, so avoid orange, lemon, pineapple and any of those such as passion fruit.
- Also suppress caffeine, tea and chocolate.
- You can’t drink alcoholic beverages for the world.
These foods are prohibited if you have or suspect esophagitis , as they will generate acids and the inflammation of the digestive tract will increase causing your esophagitis to complicate.
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Biodecoding and esophagitis
Biodecoding suggests that disease is a direct consequence of the way we think and act in life, since a personal perspective creates codes in cells and this causes the body to manifest them in health or disease.
In the specific case of esophagitis, it is a chain that begins with stress mainly, then this causes gastritis, and the symptoms of gastritis irritate the esophagus and you end up suffering from this disease, which will be relieved at the time of overcoming the circumstances that are affecting your health.
Gastritis usually appears in people when they are going through emotional conflicts in which they show a rejection or inability to accept situations or news that they do not like because deep down (or unconsciously) the fear of rejection generates anguish and fear.
It manifests with stomach problems, and from there gastritis arises, perhaps the conscious person refuses, but the unconscious responds to those family or work conflicts, in which you are forced to live without knowing whether to face or endure so that time fix itself.
Gastritis is accompanied by symptoms that clearly scream that what they do not accept is affecting their health, for the simple fact of not having absolute control, in fact, the situation is who controls us and that is why our body reacts.
For example, the symptom of nausea is because your biology is showing disgust at the situation and the people who are causing you this emotional conflict, for this reason you feel strong nausea, although it is not always about real events, they can be imaginary , they may be easier to fix than your mind imagines.
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The unconscious hardly distinguishes between the real and the imaginary, so when reading a good book, these situations can affect you because you feel that it is real, although you consciously know that it is not. The biological decoding of gastritis requires that you solve the conflict, if it is not solved and the gastrititis is overcome, it will affect the esophagus and cause esophagitis, if before you could not eat, with the inflamed esophagus you will hardly be able to swallow.
Why is it called bacterial esophagitis?
Bacterial esophagitis is called the alteration of granulocyte function, where gram-positive cocci and gram-negative bacilli are spread to the esophagus from the pharynx, although it is a rare esophagitis, but it has been diagnosed in cancer patients and transplant patients.
Endoscopic findings and all clinical manifestations are somewhat nonspecific, for this reason a sample is taken for a biopsy to culture, and broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed, the duration of which is until granulocyte function recovers.
What is allergic esophagitis?
Allergic esophagitis or better known as eosinophilic esophagitis or EoE is an allergic reaction that makes it very difficult for you to swallow food, and its diagnosis is just as difficult because they tend to confuse doctors.
Allergic esophagitis causes the esophagus to gradually swell to the point that it is more closed than open, making swallowing increasingly difficult, and it is believed to occur from some allergy-causing foods, including pollen. .
People who have previous allergies and asthma suffer the most from this type of esophagitis. Eosinophilic has to do with the type of immune white cells in the blood, responsible for fighting certain types of infections that are not found in the esophagus.
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Cancer and esophagitis
Mainly esophagitis is an adverse effect of cancer treatment; radiation therapy and chemotherapy cause symptoms that turn into esophagitis, such as vomiting and reflux.
Radiation therapy that people receive to the chest and neck area, which is usually given to patients with lung cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, head and neck cancers, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cause esophagitis such as secondary effect.
After having received the treatment for 2 or 3 weeks, you will begin to feel a discomfort when swallowing and a burning sensation in the chest and neck region, this discomfort will last until your radiation therapy ends.
You will notice the improvement after two weeks that you have finished with the treatment, in most people who have undergone radiotherapy, the esophagitis is completely cured one month after stopping this therapy.
Bulimia and esophagitis
Bulimia is characterized by episodes of voracious appetite that the person satisfies only by eating excessively, but then resorts to abnormal practices to eliminate the overweight that people affected with this disorder feel they have, exercise in exaggeration and what causes esophagitis : vomiting is provoked for example; they also take laxatives and diuretics.
The consequences of all this directly affect the esophageal mucosa, which is not used to having contact with acidic substances, and when vomiting continuously this acidic fluid passes through the esophagus and can cause alterations such as:
- Erosive esophagitis
- Esophageal ulcer with blood loss.
- And as ulcers heal, you may suffer from esophageal stricture
Alcohol and Esophagitis
Esophagitis appears in the person who consumes excessive alcohol because it produces gastric reflux that can be complicated by aspiration pneumonia due to esophageal motility disorders.
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The reflux caused by the consumption of alcohol in large quantities can also cause gastritis and gastralgias due to increased acidity and permeability of the gastric mucosa, as well as diarrhea due to increased intestinal motility and poor absorption. And not only that, malnutrition, and alteration of the intestinal flora, also increased absorption of microbial toxins that reach the liver.
Is esophagitis contagious?
One of the questions asked by those close to people who have esophagitis is if it is contagious, perhaps a mother worried that her child lives under the same roof as the affected one, and it is understandable, the protective sense wants our children to be far from suffering from any disease and far from contracting it by contagion when it can be avoided.
Answering this question, esophagitis can be spread depending on the type that is being suffered, that is, you should go to the doctor and determine if the cause of your relative’s esophagitis is infectious, or due to an underlying disease where they are immunocompromised.
On the other hand, reflux esophagitis is not contagious, so you should not be afraid to use the same utensils, you will not infect someone healthy, because it is something that you have caused by eating irritating foods or other causes already mentioned, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and alcohol.
Reflux vs esophagitis
Gastroesophageal reflux is the cause of esophagitis, this refers to the return of the food bolus together with the acids that are responsible for digesting the food, when the stomach lining becomes inflamed it causes gastritis, and if this acid reaches the esophagus, esophagitis will occur .
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When we swallow after chewing, these crushed foods and saliva descend through the esophagus, as mentioned, it is the tube that conducts or transports food from the mouth to the stomach. The peristaltic movements, that is, the muscular contractions of the walls of the esophagus, define the direction of the flow that the food bolus will follow.
It will pass through both organs and will be controlled by the internal esophageal sphincter, and the reversal of flow is known as gastroesophageal reflux, which is why gastritis is that which occurs in the stomach and esophagitis in the esophagus.
At least the stomach has an epithelium that produces mucus to protect against the extremely acidic pH of the chyme or food bolus mixed with enzymes, hydrochloric acid, intrinsic factor. But the esophagus only has a stratified flat epithelium that is not keratinized, so it is not able to withstand this acidity.
Is esophagitis considered hereditary?
We know what esophagitis is up to now; Remember that it is the irritation and subsequent inflammation of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach) when it comes to eosinophilic esophagitis that causes the irritation are the white blood cells in the esophagus known as eosinophils.
These eosinophils are not originally found in the esophagus, but are part of the immune system, pro the body sends them in response to an allergic reaction; which makes experts think that the cause of eosinophilic esophagitis is due to food allergies.
People with food allergies often have other types of allergies, such as hay fever, asthma, or eczema; and it can occur in children and adults, being more common in men than in women. All this indicates that esophagitis can be hereditary in this sense.
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Chemotherapy and esophagitis
Esophagitis can be caused by antitumor drugs, these affect the mucosa of the digestive tract and in turn involve the mucosa of the esophagus, thus inducing lesions that are directly related to chemotherapy or a consequence of the peptic damage caused by the drugs.
Cytarabine, dactinomycin, daunorubicin, bleomycin, methotrexate, 5-fuorouracil, and vincristine are drugs that cause severe dysphagia due to the oropharyngeal mucositis they produce.
Vincristine causes vomiting and can lead to mallory-weiss tears, esophageal perforation, intramural hematoma, all potentially fatal in patients with a low platelet count and immunodeficiency.
Cytoreductive therapy also develops perforations and fistulas, when it causes necrosis of the tumors that are involved with the esophageal wall. Platinum-derived drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin or paclitaxel can also frequently induce mucositis and vomiting.
Nursing care of esophagitis
Next, I will mention the nursing care in general lines for esophagitis, however, they can vary depending on the cause that is causing it, most of them already mentioned in the article, such as food, bulimia or radio and chemotherapies, as well as for reflux:
- You must educate yourself regarding the disease of the patient and relatives, as well as the need for changes in habits and specific care.
- The studies and complementary tests that must be done must be explained to the patient.
- It is very important to have a control over the diet of the patient.
- The medication indicated by the doctor must be administered at the precise time, which is usually: omeprazole, ranitidine, reliveran, sucralfate.
- Make sure the patient eats three hours before going to sleep.
- Avoid consuming irritative foods such as coffee, fatty and spicy.
- You must explain the reason for the prohibition of these foods and the consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
- Check the vital signs and the evolution of the patient.
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Esophagitis and your healthy habits
Healthy habits keep you away from this disease and many others, but particularly to prevent and cure esophagitis you should try the following:
- Don’t smoke, smoking is a bad habit that damages your lungs and irritates your throat and esophagus.
- Maintain an acceptable body weight, that is, avoid falling into obesity.
- Exercise daily, you can walk for half an hour every day in the morning, or after eating to aid digestion.
- Do not stress too much, try that emotional conflicts have no power over you.
Veterinary esophagitis
Are our pets saved from human disease? The answer is no, they too suffer largely from the same diseases that humans suffer from, and esophagitis is one of those diseases.
How does it affect cats and dogs?
Dogs and cats vomit when a food has disliked them, or eat too much, this causes that food to return through the esophagus with the acid that is responsible for digesting what they have swallowed, and therefore this acid irritates the esophagus of your dog or cat.
Symptoms of esophagitis in animals are mild, ranging from regurgitation of mucus and phlegm to burning and loss of appetite. This symptom of lack of appetite is not due to the fact that the dog or cat does not feel hungry, but rather that he cannot swallow and prefers to avoid meals.
When you take him to the vet for these symptoms, an esophagoscopy is performed, there the doctor will observe the edematous mucosa, with bleeding or redness, a thickening will also be found and with this the esophagitis present in your pet will be diagnosed .
Nutritional treatment for esophagitis
Let’s return to the topic of esophagitis in people; specifically the nutritional treatment that will help cure it:
- When you go to eat make sure that the food is boiled or steamed or ironed also in stews, roasts or in the oven, in short, no frying.
- Use condiments and spices you must use them with great caution.
- Consume dairy products according to individual tolerance, although low-fat or low-fat ones are better tolerated.
- You can consume red meats, lean white and egg whites.
- Eat fruits that are not acidic, the same for vegetables.
- You can eat rice, tortillas, corn, and oatmeal.
- You are allowed fats of vegetable origin.
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Drug treatment for esophagitis
This pharmacological treatment that must be followed to treat esophagitis is similar to that prescribed for peptic disease to which metoclopramide, cleboride and cisapride are added.
In grade I and II esophagitis, anti-H is used and when it is in more advanced grades, omeprazole 20mg is prescribed every 12 hours or 24 hours depending on the severity of the lesions. This drug treatment will last 8 weeks, but when it is a grade IV esophagitis, the treatment could be permanent.
When the patient is young, antireflux surgery can be considered, and in all cases the dosage should be individualized to avoid recurrence of the lesions.
Natural remedies for esophagitis
To heal naturally you must comply with the aforementioned diet, avoiding anti-inflammatory foods, you must also eliminate sugar, refined and synthetic products.
You can ingest chamomile to calm heartburn, licorice in moderation, and slippery elm. Try to add cold-pressed unsaturated oils to your diet, for example: flaxseed oil, sesame oil or sunflower oil since these reduce inflammation, regenerate and are anticancer .
General recommendations for esophagitis
Finally, if you comply with the following recommendations, you will live a full life without this annoying disease.
- Do not lie down after eating, you have to eat three hours before bedtime.
- Your headboard should be raised about 6 to 8 inches.
- If you are overweight, try exercising and losing weight.
- Do not eat more than you need, avoid overeating, preferably eat light foods.
- It is better to eat 5 meals a day, but in low volume than two or three in quantity.
- Do not eat too cold or too hot, it is best if they are warm.
- Don’t let yourself be affected by stressful situations. If you are happy your body will be happy.
