Esophagitis (cont.)
How Is Esophagitis Diagnosed?
Once your doctor has performed a thorough physical examination and reviewed your medical history, there are several tests that can be used to diagnose esophagitis. These include:
- Upper endoscopy. A test in which a long, flexible lighted tube, called an endoscope, is used to look at the esophagus.
- Biopsy. During this test, a small sample of the esophageal tissue is removed and then sent to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope.
- Upper GI series (or barium swallow). During this procedure, x-rays are taken of the esophagus after drinking a barium solution. Barium coats the lining of the esophagus and shows up white on an x-ray. This characteristic enables doctors to view certain abnormalities of the esophagus.
How Is Esophagitis Treated?
Treatment for esophagitis depends on its cause. Possible treatments include:
- Medications that block acid production, like heartburn drugs.
- Antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals to treat an infection.
- Pain medications that can be gargled or swallowed.
- Corticosteroid medication to reduce inflammation.
- Intravenous (by vein) nutrition to allow the esophagus to heal and to reduce the likelihood of malnourishment or dehydration.
- Endoscopy to remove any lodged pill fragments.
- Surgery to remove the damaged part of the esophagus.
While being treated for esophagitis, there are certain steps you can take to help limit discomfort.
- Avoid spicy foods such as those with pepper, chili powder, curry, and
nutmeg.
- Avoid hard foods such as nuts, crackers, and raw vegetables.
- Avoid acidic foods and beverages such as tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits,
and their juices. Instead, try imitation fruit drinks with vitamin C.
- Add more soft foods such as applesauce, cooked cereals, mashed potatoes,
custards, puddings, and high protein shakes to your diet.
- Take small bites and chew food thoroughly.
- If swallowing becomes increasingly difficult, try tilting your head
upward so the food flows to the back of the throat before swallowing.
- Drink liquids through a straw to make swallowing easier.
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco.
SOURCES:
National Institutes of Health. Emedicine.
Reviewed by Venkat Mohan, MD on September 13, 2008
Portions of this page © Cleveland Clinic 2008
©2005-2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved. Last Editorial Review: 9/13/2008
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