How is esophagitis treated?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on March 24, 2025
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The treatment of esophagitis primarily consists of dietary adjustments and the selection of medications. Dietary recommendations suggest that patients consume clean, easily digestible foods, avoid binge eating, and refrain from the intake of pickled foods, cultivating good lifestyle and eating habits. Medication options include acid-suppressing, mucosal-protecting, and gastrointestinal motility-improving drugs, with an initial treatment duration of two to four weeks. Esophagitis is relatively common in clinical settings, typically seen in gastroenterology outpatient clinics, with symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, nausea, and belching being more common. Among these, heartburn is a typical symptom, characterized by a burning pain in the esophageal or pre-chest area, usually episodic and related to diet, with symptoms often occurring after meals. Diagnosis relies primarily on gastroscopy, thus it is recommended that patients considered to have esophagitis undergo timely gastroscopic examination to further clarify the condition. (The use of medications should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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Can esophagitis be treated with surgery?

Esophagitis is relatively common in clinical settings, and the treatment plan generally involves medical therapy rather than surgery as the first choice. However, if complications such as obstruction, bleeding, or even cancer occur, surgical treatment is usually undertaken. For medication selection, one can choose drugs that protect the mucous membrane, reduce acid, and improve gastrointestinal motility. It is important to pay attention to diet and post-meal posture in daily life, avoid binge eating, eat smaller and more frequent meals, and avoid intake of high-sugar, high-fat foods, opting instead for a light, easily digestible diet. Post-meal posture involves not lying down immediately after eating, especially for a nap, and it is recommended that patients sit for half an hour before lying down to rest to prevent reflux. Most patients can control the symptoms of esophagitis with active medical treatment and dietary adjustments, and do not need surgical treatment. (Please use medications under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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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.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
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Is esophagitis prone to recurrence?

Reflux esophagitis can recur frequently. Generally, mild reflux esophagitis can often be cured through adjustments in diet and lifestyle habits as well as medication treatment, and it will not recur. If it is moderate to severe reflux esophagitis, the effectiveness of medication may be insufficient, leading to persistent recurrence. Additional factors such as dietary and lifestyle habits, including smoking, drinking alcohol, consuming spicy foods, excessive fatigue, etc., can also cause recurrence. The presence of certain diseases can further exacerbate the occurrence of reflux esophagitis, such as dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter, hiatal hernia, and insufficient gastric motility, all of which may lead to recurrent symptoms.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Can esophagitis cause coughing?

Esophagitis generally does not cause coughing, as coughing is a symptom of respiratory diseases. Esophagitis mostly causes symptoms of the digestive system, such as heartburn, particularly when eating food, accompanied by painful swallowing, and pain behind the sternum. Severe esophagitis can lead to the narrowing of the esophageal lumen, difficulty swallowing, and may also present with vomiting. Esophagitis can also cause bleeding; bleeding of the mucous membranes can lead to vomiting blood or black stools. Recurrent esophagitis causes a decrease in appetite and impairs absorptive functions, leading to weight loss.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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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.