When the esophagus is inflamed or irritated, food moving through the esophagus to the stomach will increase this pain. Sometimes the esophagus is inflamed enough that swallowing becomes difficult, since the food has limited space to pass.When the acid reflux from the stomach goes up the esophagus to the vocal cords, it can cause hoarseness and a sore throat. Although these are common signs of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as well, when associated with esophagitis, they are usually accompanied with difficult or painful swallowing. ;
, Heartburn is a common symptom of esophagitis when it is related to reflux. When acid leaves the stomach and enters the esophagus, it will cause a burning sensation because the cells of the esophagus were not designed to withstand an acidic environment.
 If you have eosinophilic esophagitis, there is a buildup of white cells called (eosinophils) in the esophagus and stomach. The white cells produce a protein which causes inflammation in your throat and can lead to scarring narrowing and formation of excessive fibrous tissue in the lining of your esophagus.An allergic response might also induce stomach pain and nausea and/or vomiting.This can occur at almost any age, and happens more commonly in Caucasian men.
As a result to the inflammation, you may have difficulty swallowing food. The esophagus can narrow to the point that food cannot pass through and becomes impacted. This is a medical emergency and requires the immediate care of a surgeon., You can affect your risk for esophagitis through some of the lifestyle choices you make.Alcohol reduces the strength of the lower esophageal sphincter and can trigger gastroesophageal reflux, or stomach acid that refluxes up the esophagus. This creates irritation and inflammation in the lining of the esophagus. Take note how you feel after you drink alcohol. See if you start to notice a trend.


Cigarette smoking has the same effect on the esophagus.
 Acidic foods and caffeinated beverages will also increase the acidity in the stomach. These can increase the risk of reflux and trigger esophagitis. Write down the foods you eat and how you feel in the hours after you eat.
 Drug-induced esophagitis is triggered when you swallow pills with little to no water. The residue from the pill remains in the esophagus, creating irritation and inflammation. Some of the more common medications to create this problem includes pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen sodium, antibiotics, potassium chloride, biphosphonates for treatment of osteoporosis, and quinidine used for treatment of some heart conditions.
 Reflux esophagitis occurs when the stomach acid refluxes through the lower esophageal sphincter and into the esophagus. GERD is a condition in which this backflow is a chronic problem. One complication of GERD is tissue damage to the esophagus leading to esophagitis., Your risk for esophagitis can increase because of pre-existing medical conditions.For example, surgery or radiation to the chest will weaken the lower esophageal sphincter and increase your risk of experiencing esophagitis.
Chronic vomiting weakens the sphincter from pressure in the stomach and thus increases the risk of esophagitis.
People with a weakened immune system from medications or an immune-mediated illness such as HIV can develop infections that lead to esophagitis. These infections include those due to fungi or viruses such as herpes or cytomegalovirus.
 Infectious esophagitis can be the result of a bacterial, viral or fungal infection. Although relatively rare, this type of esophagitis will occur more often in people with poor immune function, such as people suffering from HIV, leukemia, chemotherapy treatments for cancer, diabetes or organ transplant.Symptoms associated with infectious esophagitis can include:


Fever and chills associated with the infection.
Oral thrush if the infectious agent is candida albicans
If the infection is herpes or cytomegalovirus, you may experience sores in your mouth or in the back of your throat, making swallowing food or saliva even more uncomfortable.
 You may be having an allergic reaction that can cause esophagitis. Eosinophilic esophagitis can occur in response to an allergic reaction or from acid-reflux or both. Eosinophils are white blood cells that play a role in allergic reactions in the body. Sometimes the allergy is to foods, such as milk, eggs, wheat, soy or peanuts. At other times, people can have non-food reactions to pollen or dander, which causes esophagitis.
 In many cases, esophagitis will clear spontaneously within three to five days. This is especially true when the trigger was taking medication without enough water and you start drinking lots of water with medication. If you resolve your GERD, then the esophagitis will also begin to heal spontaneously.


Stop eating the foods that cause an allergic reaction (eosinophilic esophagitis), and the inflammation and irritation will resolve.
 Some people experience symptoms that necessitate a visit to the doctor in order to prevent further physical damage.Make an appointment with your doctor if you notice:


Symptoms that last more than a few days.
Symptoms that don’t improve or go away with over-the-counter antacids, changes to the way you take medications, or when you stop eating the foods causing the allergic reaction.
Symptoms that are severe enough that you have difficulty eating.
Any symptoms of esophagitis accompanied by signs of infection, such as muscle aches, headache and fever.
Any symptoms of esophagitis that is accompanied by shortness of breath or chest pain that happens shortly after eating.
 Emergency care is needed if your symptoms also include:


You suspect that you have food lodged in the esophagus.
You have a history of heart disease or experience chest pain.
You experience chest pain that lasts more than a couple minutes.
You vomit blood, which can indicate bleeding from the esophagus.
You have black tarry stools, which indicate bleeding in the digestive tract. Blood turns black with a tar appearance after exposure to digestive enzymes. If the esophagus is bleeding, it can either turn the stool black in color or you may vomit blood.
 Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on a thorough history and physical examination as well as one or more tests. Keep in mind that your doctor will recommend treatment based on the cause of esophagitis.
 A barium x-ray, usually called a Barium swallow, is an imaging study which uses a barium solution that lines the esophagus and stomach, making the organs more visible. These images will identify any narrowing of the esophagus. They can also indicate any other structural changes, such as hernias, tumors or other abnormalities.
 An endoscopy is a test which uses a tiny camera placed down the throat into the esophagus. Your doctor will look for any unusual appearance of the esophagus. This procedure also gives your doctor the opportunity to remove small tissue samples for testing. The appearance of the esophagus can change if the esophagitis is caused from drugs, reflux or eosinophilic esophagitis.


Tissue samples removed during an endoscopy can be tested for bacterial, viral or fungal infections, determine if there are white blood cells (eosinophils) in the tissue and identify abnormal cells that could indicate cancer or precancerous changes.
 These medications block and control acid production, are often the first line of defense.They may not work for all patients, but some people respond well and will experience relief from inflammation.


If you don't respond to PPIs, your doctor may prescribe a steroid such as fluticasone or budesonide., These are prescription or over-the-counter medications which reduce the production of stomach acid.These medications include famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), ranitidine (Zantac).Talk to your doctor about which H2 blocker is right for you.


Common side effects include constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, hives, nausea or vomiting, or problems with urination., If your doctor diagnoses you with esophagitis and he determines that it is triggered by reflux, your doctor may prescribe periodic surveillance endoscopy. This means that periodically, depending upon the severity of your symptoms and any other problems you might be having, your doctor will perform an endoscopy. He will look for tissue changes and evaluate tissue samples for precancerous conditions., Left untreated, esophagitis can result in narrowing of the esophagus from scar tissue. This is called a stricture of the esophagus. This causes swallowing to be difficult until the stricture is treated and the esophagus returns to a normal size.Barrett’s esophagus is a second long-term side effect of chronic inflammation and irritation to the esophagus. As the esophagus tries to heal the cells in the esophagus change to those similar to cells found in the intestines. This type of cell change is associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer. The tissue changes that are characteristic of Barrett’s esophagus cause no symptoms for the individual. The risk is small but it’s important to have regular checkups. If precancerous cells are discovered, they can be treated immediately.
Chronic and uncontrolled inflammation can also trigger irreversible structural alterations. This leads to tissue fibrosis, stricture formation and ultimately impaired function of the esophagus. This remodeling of the esophagus can require surgical intervention.
Other long-term consequences of untreated esophagitis resulting from reflux include damage to the lungs and upper esophageal area, such as asthma, laryngitis and chronic coughing. These changes are the result of the exposure of the cells in the lungs and larynx to stomach acid, which also triggers the inflammatory response in the esophagus.
 If you are afflicted by esophagitis, you should consider how your diet is contributing to the condition. Making some changes to your diet may help you overcome your esophagitis.Try the following strategies:


Eat several small meals during the day.
Eliminate chocolate, mints and alcohol.
Don’t eat any foods that give you an allergic response.
Avoid foods high in acid and other foods that trigger your heartburn.
Avoid stooping over or bending immediately after meals. This increases the pressure in the stomach and triggers reflux.
Wait for at least three hours after eating to lie down or go to bed.
 Too much excess body weight can contribute to pressure on your abdomen. Talk to your doctor to determine a healthy weight for your body frame. Maintaining this weight will reduce pressure on the stomach and the lower esophageal sphincter. , Smoking can contribute to your chances of developing esophagitis.Give up smoking by making a plan to quit and using products to help you quit (such as nicotine gum or a nicotine patch).
 When your clothes are too tight, you may be putting added pressure on your stomach and lower esophageal sphincter. Go for clothes that fit properly or slightly loosely. Find pants that fit your waist comfortably instead of pants with a tight waistband.
 Taking medications without drinking plenty of water with them can cause irritation to the lining of the esophagus and trigger esophagitis. Some of these medication include tetracycline, doxycycline, alendronate, ibandronate and vitamin C. Take all medication with plenty of water to reduce the irritation to the esophagus.
 When you elevate the head of your bed, your head will be higher than your chest, causing acid to stay in your stomach. Place wooden blocks under the head of the bed to elevate it. Do not use pillows to elevate your head. This causes you to bend in the middle, both increasing the pressure on the abdomen and increasing the potential for back and neck problems.
Determine if you have difficult or painful swallowing.
Assess if you’re getting heartburn frequently.
Be aware of signs of eosinophilic esophagitis (allergy induced esophagitis).
Observe your reaction to alcohol and smoking.
Keep track of your intake of certain foods.
Pay attention to how you swallow pills.
Determine if you have chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Talk to your doctor about your health conditions.
Get evaluated for infections.
Get tested for allergies.
Make simple changes to see if the symptoms go away quickly.
Know when to see your doctor.
Watch for severe symptoms.
Get diagnosed by your doctor.
Talk to your doctor about a barium x-ray.
Ask about an endoscopy.
Discuss proton pump inhibitors (PPI) with your doctor.
Try an H2 blocker.
Get periodic endoscopies if you have had esophagitis.
Don’t let esophagitis go untreated.
Change your eating habits.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Stop smoking.
Wear comfortable clothing.
Take medication with plenty of water.
Sleep with your head elevated.
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