Your healthcare provider may test your blood for viruses that can cause infectious esophagitis, such as herpes simplex virus. If you have a healthy immune system, your infection may clear on its own without treatment. How infectious esophagitis is treated often depends on the cause:. Esophagitis caused by a fungus called Candida. This fungus may be treated with an antifungal medicine called fluconazole or other similar medicines.
Bacterial esophagitis may be treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. These are medicines that work against many types of bacteria. Complications are unusual unless you have a condition or disease that weakens your immune system. Complications may include:.
Call your healthcare provider if you have any questions about your medicines or any other aspect of your treatment. Let your healthcare provider know right away if you have:. While you are recovering from infectious esophagitis, work closely with your healthcare provider and keep all your follow-up appointments.
If you have ongoing symptoms of painful or difficult swallowing, your healthcare provider may suggest that you take these steps:. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. Causes Infectious esophagitis can be caused by fungi, yeast, viruses, and bacteria.
Symptoms These are symptoms of infectious esophagitis: Pain when swallowing Difficulty swallowing Mouth pain Chest pain Nausea or vomiting Chills or fever Risk factors People with a normal immune system are unlikely to get infectious esophagitis.
Diagnosis Your healthcare provider may suspect infectious esophagitis if you have symptoms of esophagitis along with a condition that weakens the immune system. Heartburn, a common symptom of esophagitis, affects almost 40 percent of Americans at least twice a month, but having occasional heartburn does not necessarily mean you have esophagitis.
GERD, which affects approximately 20 percent of people in the United States, is a more serious form of regular and frequent heartburn that is more likely to lead to esophagitis.
GERD occurs when stomach acid spills out of your stomach and moves upward into your esophagus, a condition called reflux. Since the lining of your esophagus is not designed to tolerate stomach acid, the acid causes irritation and swelling inside your esophagus. Over time, acid reflux may cause swelling or scarring of the esophagus that interferes with swallowing," says Dr.
These include:. Heartburn or acid indigestion may be the most common symptom of esophagitis. Heartburn may occur after meals, especially when when you're lying down, and may cause burning in your chest or throat and a bitter taste in your mouth. All these symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, so you should see your doctor to determine their cause. Do not assume they are all due to esophagitis. In children and infants, feeding difficulties and failure to thrive may be signs of esophagitis, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Diagnosis of esophagitis starts with a history and physical exam, Chow explains. You may also need a special examination to look inside your esophagus, called an endoscopy. Untreated esophagitis can lead to serious health complications related to the function and structure of the esophagus.
Complications include:. Make an appointment to see your doctor if you have symptoms esophagitis. Be prepared to provide a full medical history, including any other diagnosed conditions.
List all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you take. Your doctor will likely perform a physical examination. They may also order diagnostic tests including:.
If food allergies cause your condition, you must identify trigger foods and eliminate them from your diet. The top 6 food allergens include:. You can also ease your symptoms by avoiding spicy foods, acidic foods and drinks, and raw or hard foods.
Take smaller bites and chew your food well. And ask your doctor for dietary guidelines. You should avoid tobacco and alcohol. A procedure to dilate the esophagus may be necessary if the esophagus becomes too narrow and causes food to lodge. If your symptoms are due to medication, you may need to drink more water, take a liquid version of the medication, or try a different medication.
And you may need to refrain from lying down for 30 minutes after taking medication in pill form. Chronic esophagitis can cause narrowing of the esophagus or tissue damage without treatment.
Your chances of developing esophageal cancer are higher if the cells lining your esophagus have changed due to chronic acid exposure.
Your outlook depends on the cause and on your overall health. Most people improve with treatment. Healthy people often recover within three to five days, even without treatment.
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