What department do you go to for esophagitis?

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 26, 2024
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Esophagitis is a relatively common disease in gastroenterology, so patients with esophagitis should visit the gastroenterology department. Generally, clinicians will inquire in detail about the medical history to understand the progression of the disease and the symptoms of the patient. Routine examinations typically include a barium swallow test or an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Under a barium meal examination, disorders of the esophageal mucosal folds and narrowing of the lumen can be detected. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy can reveal inflammatory changes in the esophageal mucosa. Through the results of these examinations, systematic treatment can be administered.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
1min 2sec home-news-image

Does esophagitis cause weight loss?

People with esophagitis tend to experience emaciation. Esophagitis, medically referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is characterized by symptoms such as upper abdominal distension, chest pain, belching, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. Due to the long-term presence of these symptoms, appetite can decrease, leading to emaciation in patients with GERD. During an endoscopy, if erosions in the gastric mucosa are observed, a diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease can be made. Based on the extent of these erosions, the condition can be classified into four grades, from A to D, with grade A being the mildest and grade D the most severe. Treatment mainly involves promoting gastric motility, repairing the mucosa, and acid-suppressing and stomach-protecting therapies, generally requiring about an eight-week treatment period.

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
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Can I eat sweet potatoes with esophagitis?

If esophagitis is not severe, it is okay to eat a moderate amount of sweet potatoes, as they are not highly irritating and do not significantly affect the esophagus. However, if the condition is more severe, it is necessary to control the intake of sweet potatoes. This is because sweet potatoes contain a large amount of starch, which can lead to bloating after consumption and can trigger symptoms such as indigestion. Additionally, nausea, vomiting, or acid reflux might occur. Sweet potatoes are sweet and can stimulate the excessive secretion of gastric acid, which not only causes nausea and vomiting but also affects the mucous membrane of the esophagus, potentially worsening the symptoms of esophagitis. Those with esophagitis should aim for a bland diet, eat smaller and more frequent meals, and chew slowly and thoroughly.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
1min 3sec home-news-image

The difference between reflux esophagitis and esophagitis

The main difference between reflux esophagitis and esophagitis is that esophagitis has a broader range, and reflux esophagitis is just one type of esophagitis. Esophagitis can be caused by many factors, as it involves inflammation changes occurring after multiple factors have damaged the esophageal mucosa. Based on different etiological factors, it can be divided into reflux esophagitis, radiation esophagitis, infectious esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, drug-induced esophagitis, and radiation esophagitis. Reflux esophagitis is the most common type of esophagitis, primarily caused by the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, which leads to the reflux of stomach and duodenal contents into the esophagus causing inflammatory changes. This may be related to factors such as obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and a high-fat diet.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
43sec home-news-image

What department do you go to for esophagitis?

Esophagitis is a relatively common disease in gastroenterology, so patients with esophagitis should visit the gastroenterology department. Generally, clinicians will inquire in detail about the medical history to understand the progression of the disease and the symptoms of the patient. Routine examinations typically include a barium swallow test or an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Under a barium meal examination, disorders of the esophageal mucosal folds and narrowing of the lumen can be detected. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy can reveal inflammatory changes in the esophageal mucosa. Through the results of these examinations, systematic treatment can be administered.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
48sec home-news-image

Which department should I go to for esophagitis?

Esophagitis is a disease of the digestive system and can be treated at the Department of Gastroenterology. Generally, it requires routine examinations such as barium meals of the esophagus or endoscopy. Through the examination of the barium meal, one can observe the disordered folds of the damaged esophageal mucosa, sometimes small niches and narrowing of the esophageal lumen can be seen. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy can reveal inflammatory changes in the esophageal mucosa. For milder cases of esophagitis, medication can be used primarily to inhibit the secretion of stomach acid and for anti-inflammatory purposes. More severe cases may require hospitalization for infusion therapy.