Esophagitis is inflammation of the esophagus, the tube-like structure that connects the throat to the stomach. If you have been diagnosed with this disorder, know that it is very important to seek immediate treatment. The specific treatment however depends on what caused the inflammation. If you are looking for information on the symptoms of esophagitis, click on this link.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Treating Esophagitis Caused by Acid Reflux
Step 1. Know that acid reflux is the most common cause of esophagitis
The acid present in the stomach goes up to the esophageal tube causing irritation. Here are the main symptoms:
- Pain when swallowing
- Difficulty swallowing, especially with solid foods
- Stomach ache;
- Cough;
- Occasionally nausea or vomiting, fever or abdominal pain.
Step 2. Eliminate any foods that can trigger reflux
This disorder is often triggered by foods that put pressure on both the stomach and the esophagus, in which case we speak of "trigger" or triggering foods. Try eliminating these factors from your diet and see if your acid reflux symptoms improve. If you want to try this method, don't take just one food at a time, as there is often more than one factor that triggers reflux and it won't be easy to identify what is bad for you. Instead, try not to eat all suspicious foods for about two weeks, then reintroduce one food at a time every three days and watch the body's reactions; all foods that cause acid reflux should be excluded from your diet or largely limited.
- The foods that typically trigger this disorder are caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, mint, tomatoes, oranges, spicy and very fatty foods.
- You should also eat smaller meals, but more frequently instead of binging a few times a day. This way you should find relief from heartburn.
Step 3. Stop smoking
If you are a smoker, it may be time to quit this habit or at least reduce the number of cigarettes per day. Smoking has been shown to contribute to esophageal disease, including the burning sensation. Talk to your doctor if you want help with quitting smoking (for example, taking nicotine substitutes or withdrawal medications).
Step 4. Get slim
Excess weight and obesity are related to increased heartburn, so you need to walk every day and start an exercise program. If you lose weight you will not only find relief from your esophageal problems, but you will be doing your overall health and well-being a favor.
Ask your doctor to support you and give you advice on starting a training program and always consult him in case you suffer from any medical condition that may prevent you from exercising
Step 5. After eating, stay upright for at least half an hour
If you lie down after a large meal, you make the digestion process more laborious. If the esophagus is already damaged by the irritation, then there is a greater chance of gastric acids returning to your throat while you are in a horizontal position.
If you find that your symptoms get worse at night, then you should lift your head and sleep with a few extra pillows. This way you remain in a semi-sitting position and significantly reduce heartburn
Step 6. Take over-the-counter acid reflux medications
Medicines based on calcium carbonate are a valid first choice, but there are stronger solutions - always on free sale - if they are not effective.
- You can also try Zantac (ranitidine hydrochloride) which is a "histamine H2 receptor antagonist".
- Give omeprazole a try which is a "proton pump inhibitor" and helps reduce the amount of acid in the stomach so that the reflux is less irritating to the esophagus.
Step 7. Observe how long you feel compelled to take these over-the-counter medicines
If you find that you need it for two weeks or more, then see your doctor and tell him about the situation. If gastric reflux doesn't go away with changing your diet and non-prescription medications, then you need professional diagnosis and treatment.
- At this point, your doctor may prescribe stronger anti-reflux medicines to counteract esophagitis.
- It is vitally important to arrive at a correct diagnosis because different types of esophagitis require different interventions. This is the reason you need to see your doctor if you don't notice any improvement with over-the-counter medicines.
Method 2 of 3: Treating Drug-Caused Esophagitis
Step 1. When taking your medications, make sure you drink a full glass of water
If esophagitis is caused by the drug therapy you are on, you can combat the problem by drinking plenty of water when you take the lozenge. Sometimes the irritation is caused by the medicine staying in the esophagus for too long instead of going directly into the stomach.
- Alternatively, you can take the medicine in liquid form, rather than tablets, if available. Doing so reduces symptoms related to the pill staying in the esophageal canal.
- You should also stay upright for at least half an hour after taking the drug. If you lie down immediately afterwards, your heartburn gets worse.
Step 2. Discuss with your doctor to find alternative medications
If a glass of water with the tablet is not enough to reduce the discomfort, then it may be necessary to stop the therapy, change the medicine or change the treatment. In this case, you should always contact your doctor before considering not taking the drugs.
Many conditions can be managed with more than one type of medication, so discuss the problem with your doctor for a less irritating alternative to your esophagus
Step 3. Stop taking over-the-counter pain relievers
If you are regularly taking aspirin or NSAIDs and suffer from esophagitis, then you should stop this type of therapy. First go to the doctor to plan a gradual reduction in dosage; if you stop abruptly, you may experience rebound inflammation and pain; on the contrary, a gradual process avoids this discomfort. You should take this opportunity to list all the symptoms that are caused by these medicines to the doctor in order to come to a diagnosis and develop alternative therapy.
Over-the-counter pain relievers make heartburn worse in some patients, so you should always be very careful when taking them and see your doctor if you think they are making your problem worse
Method 3 of 3: Treating Eosinophilic Esophagitis or Infectious Esophagitis
Step 1. Take "oral topical steroids" to treat eosinophilic esophagitis
This type of inflammation is caused by an allergic reaction to food you are sensitive to, as a result of which the esophagus becomes inflamed and damaged.
- Steroid drugs reduce or eliminate the abnormal immune reaction that occurs in cases of eosinophilic esophagitis.
- These drugs work similarly to inhaled corticosteroids used for asthma, essentially lining the gastrointestinal tract and preventing irritation.
- The advantage of these "oral topical cortisones" is that they are not absorbed into the bloodstream and therefore should not have the classic side effects of steroids.
Step 2. Ask your doctor for allergy tests to treat this type of esophagitis
Often the cause of this disorder is a severe allergic reaction to a particular food. To find the "food-allergen" you must first remove all suspicious dishes from your diet (your doctor will make a list of the most likely ones) and then gradually reintroduce them by monitoring symptoms and signs of heartburn.
It is important to reintroduce only one food at a time, otherwise you will not be able to understand which food is triggering the allergic reaction
Step 3. Hit the pathogen that triggered infectious esophagitis
In this case it is necessary to take a specific medicine based on the microorganism that triggered the disease.
- If the problem arose from Candida yeast, then you can solve it with a treatment based on fluconazole or echinocandins. The type of medicine depends on the Candida strain that led to the infection and the patient's general health condition, including other diseases present, the severity of the esophagitis, allergies and other factors.
- If the patient suffers from viral esophagitis, treatment with aciclovir, famciclovir or valaciclovir will be chosen. Again, the doctor will choose the most suitable drug based on the type of virus.
- If the infection is caused by bacteria, then a course of antibiotics will be given.
