What is good to eat for esophagitis?

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 15, 2024
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For esophagitis, first pay attention to dietary hygiene. Meals should be regular, and consume soft, easily digestible foods, such as noodles, rice soup, and vegetable soup. Avoid dry, hard, cold, overly hot, and gas-producing foods, such as bean products, milk, and nuts. Also, eat fresh vegetables and adequately supplement plant-based fiber, reduce the intake of high-fat foods, and avoid smoking, alcohol, strong tea, coffee, and other irritant foods. Make sure to eat on a schedule, in small, frequent meals.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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Is esophagitis serious?

Esophagitis is a common clinical condition, so generally, patients do not need to worry too much. The typical symptoms of esophagitis include nausea and heartburn, with heartburn being particularly characteristic. This manifests as a burning pain in the esophageal area or the whole chest, typically occurring persistently with episodic exacerbations, and it is generally related to diet. The condition often flares up after meals, lasts for several hours before gradually easing, but is prone to recurrence. If a patient experiences the aforementioned discomfort, it is advisable to further undergo an endoscopic examination to assess the condition and confirm the diagnosis. Esophagitis can typically be identified during an endoscopy by signs of congestion, edema, and even erosion or ulceration of the esophageal mucosa. Thus, the diagnosis of esophagitis generally relies on endoscopic examination, and the initial treatment may focus on dietary adjustments and oral medications, which might include acid reducers, mucosal protective agents, and drugs that improve gastrointestinal motility. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
36sec home-news-image

What is good to eat for esophagitis?

For esophagitis, first pay attention to dietary hygiene. Meals should be regular, and consume soft, easily digestible foods, such as noodles, rice soup, and vegetable soup. Avoid dry, hard, cold, overly hot, and gas-producing foods, such as bean products, milk, and nuts. Also, eat fresh vegetables and adequately supplement plant-based fiber, reduce the intake of high-fat foods, and avoid smoking, alcohol, strong tea, coffee, and other irritant foods. Make sure to eat on a schedule, in small, frequent meals.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
40sec home-news-image

Can esophagitis cause chest tightness?

Esophagitis generally does not cause symptoms of chest tightness, as the inflammation in the esophagus typically leads to symptoms of the digestive system, and does not cause disorders of the respiratory or circulatory systems. Clinically, common symptoms of esophagitis include a burning sensation, along with difficulty swallowing and pain behind the breastbone. When the esophagitis is severe, it can lead to a narrowing of the esophageal lumen, causing a choking sensation when swallowing food, and possibly inducing vomiting. The inflammation can cause bleeding, which may manifest as vomiting blood or black stools.

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
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Can you smoke with esophagitis?

Patients with reflux esophagitis must avoid raw, cold, spicy, and irritating foods, including tobacco, strong tea, and coffee. Nicotine, primarily found in cigarettes, adversely affects the patient's blood vessels and irritates the stomach and esophageal mucosa to varying degrees. It also stimulates the trachea, causing coughing. Therefore, it is crucial for patients with reflux esophagitis to quit smoking. Moreover, these patients must strictly control their diet, avoiding overly spicy, acidic, hot, or overly cold foods. Treatment is important, but regular maintenance is also very crucial.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Esophagitis examination methods

Currently, for the examination of esophagitis in clinical practice, imaging studies are primarily used, including barium swallow tests and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Barium swallow tests are more commonly used in primary care hospitals, while upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is more frequently used in county-level and higher hospitals. Under barium swallow exam, it is possible to observe the disordered mucosal folds of the damaged esophagus, sometimes small niches and narrowing of the esophageal lumen can be seen. Under endoscopy, inflammatory changes in the esophageal mucosa can be detected.