Does esophagitis cause chest pain?

Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
Updated on January 18, 2025
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Patients with esophagitis can experience pain in the anterior chest area, known as heartburn, which manifests as burning pain in the anterior chest or esophageal region. It usually occurs in episodic attacks, so it is generally believed that esophagitis can cause chest pain, which needs to be differentiated from chest pain caused by coronary heart disease. The diagnosis of esophagitis mainly relies on gastroscopy. For some typical patients, it is recommended that they complete a gastroscopy in a timely manner. Under gastroscopy, inflammatory changes in the esophageal mucosa can be observed, manifested as congestion, edema, erosion, or even ulcer formation. The treatment of esophagitis mainly involves adjusting medication choices and dietary adjustments. Dietary recommendations include a light diet, and medications may include those that reduce acid and protect the mucosa and improve gastrointestinal motility. A typical course of treatment would be two to four weeks, and most patients can achieve relief. (The use of medications should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
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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
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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.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
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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 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
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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.