Catarrhal reflux esophagitis. Distal form of catarrhal esophagitis Can catarrhal esophagitis be cured?

With long-term physical or chemical irritation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus, a person may develop catarrhal esophagitis. This pathology is characterized by an acute and chronic course.
Acute esophagitis, as a rule, is a consequence of the sudden impact of an aggressive agent on the mucous membrane of the esophagus, and the chronic form of the disease develops due to its constant impact on the esophagus.

Causes of acute and chronic catarrhal esophagitis

In the case when a person regularly consumes rough or poorly chewed food, alcohol, strong tea, coffee, or foods high in acids and alkalis, this can cause the development of catarrhal esophagitis. Sometimes an acute form of the pathological process occurs due to achalasia of the esophagus (that is, a malfunction in its motor activity), stenosis or failure that disrupts the protective mechanisms of the mucous membrane. However, the cause of acute illness can be a tumor in the abdominal cavity, pregnancy and other factors that increase intra-abdominal pressure.

Causes of distal catarrhal esophagitis

Catarrhal esophagitis is a pathological condition that is detected only during the process. This disease occurs as a result of various infectious lesions and the reflux of gastric juice mixed with bile into the esophagus.
In clinical practice, this pathology is called catarrhal reflux esophagitis, or gastrophageal reflux disease.

Note: a pathological process can develop after surgery on the stomach due to a violation of the contractility of its cardiac region.

Inadequate or untimely treatment of catarrhal esophagitis can provoke the development of its or ulcerative form.

Symptoms of catarrhal form of esophagitis

• Dull pain in the esophagus after eating or difficulty swallowing;
• Heartburn and belching;
• A burning or raw sensation in the chest area while eating;
• Salivation (salivation);
• Regurgitation of mucus.

In some cases, pain radiates to the interscapular area (in this case, the patient is required to undergo differential diagnosis with cardiovascular pathology), and also radiates to the jaw or neck.

Symptoms of catarrhal reflux esophagitis

When gastric juice (or intestinal contents) spontaneously and regularly reflux into the esophagus, the lower part of the esophagus is damaged, causing symptoms such as indigestion, pain and heartburn.

Note: in the lower part of the esophagus, under normal conditions, the pH of the environment is 6.0. When the acidity drops below four (acid reflux) or above seven (bile or alkaline reflux), gastric contents thrown into the esophagus irritate its mucous membrane and provoke the development of an inflammatory process (reflux esophagitis).

The most characteristic symptoms of the disease include (in children - frequent regurgitation of air or vomiting milk). Also, this condition is characterized by sour belching and retrosternal pain, radiating to the interscapular region, neck, left half of the chest and lower jaw, and cramping pain in the stomach.

Diagnostics

In order to accurately diagnose the pathological condition, a thorough history is taken and clinical symptoms are assessed. Of the instrumental methods, patients are shown esophagoscopy (study of the inner surface of the esophagus) and x-ray examination.

Note: when prescribing esophagoscopy, contraindications to this procedure must be taken into account.

Treatment of esophagitis

Treatment of catarrhal esophagitis is prescribed taking into account the clinical course of the disease and the severity of morphological changes in the mucous membrane of the esophagus.
The patient is required to be prescribed a special diet, and, if possible, existing damaging factors are eliminated.
It should be emphasized that treatment of the disease will be truly effective only when the patient strictly follows a diet and proper nutrition.
When signs of esophagitis appear in infants, they are prescribed special care. The baby is fed only in a semi-vertical position, and at the end of feeding the baby is held strictly vertically for 1-3 minutes.
Older children who suffer from esophagitis should undergo a full diagnostic examination and find out the cause of this pathology. It can be triggered by gastritis, neurosis or. Treatment measures should be aimed at reducing the harmful effects of stomach contents entering the esophagus, as well as reducing the severity of reflux.
At the same time, the consumption of chocolate, tomatoes and fatty foods is necessarily limited.
Also, during the treatment process, patients are prescribed anacid (enveloping) drugs, local and antispasmodics.

Note: in case of candidiasis of the esophagus, it is recommended to take antifungal agents.

From the diet of patients, foods that can damage the mucous membrane of the esophagus are completely excluded: spicy and rough foods, citrus fruits, alcohol and strong coffee. At the same time, it is very useful to take herbal decoctions that have wound-healing, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects.

In severe cases of the pathological process and severe forms of intoxication, enteral nutrition may be prescribed, and infusion therapy, which involves the administration of detoxification solutions, may be indicated.
In the case where the cause of catarrhal esophagitis is an infection, the patient is prescribed antibacterial therapy.

Warning! In case of severe pain, painkillers are prescribed, and gastric lavage is contraindicated at this time.

Surgical treatment of catarrhal esophagitis is prescribed only when the patient develops severe narrowing of the esophagus that cannot be dilated.

Catarrhal esophagitis is the most common form of inflammation of the esophageal mucosa, which is characterized by superficial lesions and pronounced hyperemia.

According to popular opinion, this phenomenon occurs in many people due to eating too spicy or hot food, which has a detrimental effect on the digestive organs. But of all the pathologies of this system, catarrhal esophagitis is the most common. And the reason for this is, as a rule, not only liberties in nutrition, but also diseases of nearby organs and infections of other parts of the digestive tract.

Description

Catarrhal esophagitis - what is it and how to treat it? You can get the answer to this question by reading just a few paragraphs of useful information.

Due to long-term chemical or physical injury to the mucous membrane of the esophagus, every person may experience catarrhal esophagitis. This pathology can occur in chronic and acute forms. The latter is usually a consequence of a sharp aggressive effect on the esophagus. But the chronic form of the pathology develops due to the constant harmful effects on the membrane.

Often this disease is accompanied by a host of other diseases of the digestive system. Typically, the risk group includes people of different genders and ages who are prone to regular consumption of alcoholic beverages and unhealthy eating habits.

Among other things, catarrhal esophagitis can have different locations: it is quite capable of covering the entire esophagus or only its remote end, close to the stomach. Today, it is the latter type of pathology that is most common.

Causes of the disease

The inflammatory process that originates on the mucous membrane of the esophagus is a fairly common occurrence. This is a kind of reaction of the body to damage that does not suit it. To a greater or lesser extent, every day all people are exposed to agents foreign to the digestive tract. These include:

• viral and bacterial infections;
• medications that worsen the protective properties of the esophagus;
• regular stress;
• too hot and spicy foods, too dry food, alcohol and strong drinks consumed on an empty stomach.

In some cases, an acute form of pathology occurs due to a malfunction in the motor activity of the esophagus, as well as insufficiency or stenosis, which violates the protective properties of the membrane. Among other things, the cause of esophagitis can be a pathological formation in the abdominal cavity, various factors that increase intra-abdominal pressure and even pregnancy.

Peculiarities

With different intensities of the influence of harmful elements, the shells react differently. So what is catarrhal esophagitis and how to treat it? This is a pathological condition of the esophagus, which is characterized by inflammation. In the affected area, the mucous membrane undergoes swelling, and during the examination, redness, which is also called hyperemia, becomes clearly visible. In general, this is a normal reaction of the body to all sorts of inconveniences - any tissue can respond in this way.

In normal condition, a healthy esophagus is pink in color and has few folds. If a person suffers from catarrhal esophagitis, his mucous membrane is covered with spots of a bright scarlet hue, while the tissue itself is significantly increased in size.

What is reflux esophagitis?

This is another type of disease. Due to insufficiency of the cardia, catarrhal esophagitis most often develops in the lower sphincter, which serves as a kind of barrier between the esophagus and the stomach. This type of pathology is characterized by the release of intestinal contents back due to reflux. The esophagus contains an alkaline environment, and the stomach is acidic, which has a detrimental effect on the mucous membranes of other organs.

What could be the causes of such a phenomenon as reflux?

• Increased pressure inside the abdominal cavity due to wearing too tight clothes, sudden bending forward after eating, heavy weight and pregnancy.
• Voluntary weakening of the sphincter muscles.
• Unhealthy eating.
• Various pathologies of the digestive system: for example, gastritis or ulcers.
• Postoperative damage to the cardia.
• Hernia in the diaphragm area.
• Tumors in the abdominal cavity.
• Infectious diseases of a chronic nature.
• Gallstone disease.

With the development of this pathology, the painful process is not always noticeable. Often the disease does not manifest itself at all until any complications arise. In addition, the signs of catarrhal esophagitis are so rare that it is quite difficult to identify the disease from them.

Experts talk about the most common ones that help make a diagnosis on time.

Diagnostics

To make a diagnosis of catarrhal esophagitis, it is necessary to undergo several important studies:

In order to accurately diagnose this pathology, it is necessary to carefully collect anamnesis and evaluate the clinical picture. When prescribing esophagoscopy, the specialist must clarify the presence of contraindications to this procedure. By the way, the manipulation itself involves examining the inside of the esophagus.

Therapy

Treatment of catarrhal esophagitis should be prescribed depending on the general clinical picture, the course of the disease and the severity of changes in the mucous membrane. As a rule, conservative therapy is used. Pathology requires surgical intervention only when complications lead to forms of the disease that are too life-threatening.

It is necessary to begin treatment with proper nutrition. The diet recommended for patients with a confirmed diagnosis of esophagitis consists of several main points:

Each patient is prescribed a special diet and way of eating. In addition, it is very important to exclude existing traumatic factors.

It is worth saying that treatment of esophagitis will be truly effective only if the patient actually adheres to a diet and a healthy diet.

Drug therapy

At first glance, esophagitis is just a simple inflammatory process, so treatment can be achieved with diet alone. With stage 1 catarrhal esophagitis, proper nutrition and slight lifestyle adjustments in general will actually be quite sufficient. If unpleasant symptoms bother the patient every day, continuing to bother him too long after eating, small changes are no longer enough. In this case, it’s time to start more serious treatment. In addition to diet, the patient is prescribed certain medications:

The treatment regimen suitable for the patient is selected individually, depending on the symptoms that appear and the tolerability of the active ingredients of the drugs. In addition, the course of therapy may also include physiotherapy.

Treatment of catarrhal esophagitis with folk remedies

The number of patients diagnosed with this disease is growing from year to year. As a rule, traditional methods of therapy are used to correct the pathological condition, including all kinds of medications and diet. But we should not forget about the alternative treatment of catarrhal esophagitis, because it is also often effective. With the help of simple recipes you can very quickly and easily get rid of unpleasant symptoms. In therapy for esophagitis, traditional medicine suggests using flaxseeds, sea buckthorn oil, aloe juice, various herbs and honey. But keep in mind that such treatment should be started only after consulting a qualified gastroenterologist.

For traditional therapy to really benefit, it is very important to strictly adhere to the chosen recipes and the correct dosages. In addition, it is worth saying that treating esophagitis solely with the help of simple recipes is categorically not recommended. The best results can be achieved if you competently combine traditional and folk techniques.

Plants for treatment

Most often, for esophagitis, alternative medicine advises resorting to the use of herbs - they are considered an effective remedy in the fight against pathology and extremely rarely cause allergies. To relieve unpleasant symptoms you can use:

Flax seeds also have a lot of beneficial properties, so they use it not only to treat esophagitis, but also for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. But if, in addition to this pathology, the patient was diagnosed with hepatitis or malfunction of the gallbladder, one should refuse to take this wonderful plant.

Sweet treat during treatment

Another excellent product that effectively fights inflammation of the mucous membrane is ordinary honey. During the day you need to eat about 50 grams of bee substance. To speed up the absorption process by damaged tissues, honey can be dissolved in a small amount of warm water.

But it is very important to avoid taking bee product immediately after eating. It is advisable that at least a couple of hours pass after the meal. And yet, people suffering from allergies should be very careful when using this product. Honey should be given to children with extreme caution.

Conclusion

Despite the prevalence of catarrhal esophagitis, it requires close attention. After all, once the disease is neglected, it can lead to serious complications: for example, bleeding, as well as ulcers and narrowing of the esophagus. That is why, after diagnosis, it is imperative to undergo a full course of therapy.

Catarrhal esophagitis is one of the most common pathologies of the esophagus that many people encounter. Despite the prevalence of the disease, not everyone knows about it, because some simply ignore it, self-medicating or even thinking that the disease will recede on its own. Doctors warn about the dangers of such an attitude towards your health.

Esophagitis is an inflammatory process that begins in the mucous membrane of the esophagus. If, during diagnosis, we consider a normal, healthy esophagus and compare it with the one in which the inflammatory process began, the difference will be obvious. Irritating factors have a negative effect on the mucous membrane, causing it to swell and become vulnerable.

As for the catarrhal form of the disease, in most cases it is not an independent disease. Catarrhal esophagitis most often appears and worsens against the background of other pathologies and diseases of the digestive system. In this regard, gastroenterologists consider the disease as one of the manifestations of some internal pathology.

Symptoms

The symptoms of catarrhal esophagitis are similar to those of many diseases of the digestive system. Their peculiarity is that painful sensations may not appear immediately after the onset of the inflammatory process of the esophageal mucosa. When the damage is minor, this is the time to start treatment, but, unfortunately, the disease cannot always be immediately recognized. Still, at least occasionally, symptoms begin to appear. It is important not to neglect them, then you will be able to detect the problem in time.

Doctors say that a number of the first manifestations consist of the following factors:

Causes

The main reason for the development of the disease is considered to be poor nutrition, namely frequent consumption of junk food.

Such food products include:

• smoked, sour and spicy;
• alcohol;
• coffee and strong tea;
• heavy food, especially eating it before bed.

Some people cannot even afford even a small number of products from this list. It is enough for them to eat a few forbidden foods, and they immediately suffer from gastrointestinal problems. Others often allow themselves to eat junk food, and it seems to them that it does not affect them in any way. In this case, the risk of developing diseases such as catarrhal esophagitis especially increases. As already mentioned, painful sensations do not appear immediately, and when they do appear, they are rare at first. Therefore, many ignore the alarming first symptoms, continuing to eat junk food, which leads to the progression of the inflammatory process.

In addition, sometimes there are other factors that cause catarrhal esophagitis. These include:

• the harmful effect of hydrochloric acid on the mucous membrane, which appears when
• the presence of a hernia of the diaphragm (its food section);
• pregnancy, during which the pressure inside the abdominal cavity increases (with
• non-compliance by a woman with doctors’ recommendations on nutrition);
• complications after surgical operations to sew in the stomach or ulcers.

Forms of the disease

There are two forms of catarrhal esophagitis:

1. Spicy. It is characterized by additional symptoms such as increased body temperature, general malaise, and discomfort during and after eating. In other words, the acute form of catarrhal esophagitis is accompanied by a deterioration in the general condition of the patient;
2. Chronic. Most often, this form of the disease develops against the background of other more serious diseases of the digestive system. For example, catarrhal esophagitis often accompanies diseases such as gastritis or duodenitis. In the chronic form of the disease, particularly severe pain is observed, which manifests itself not only in the chest area, but can also radiate to the heart, neck and back. In this case, the main treatment is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease that provoked esophagitis.

How to treat

An important role for successful treatment is played by adherence to a special diet, the purpose of which is to select acceptable foods and prepare them correctly. It is also important to eat small meals and not eat anything at all three hours before bedtime. The basis of the traditional treatment of catarrhal esophagitis is drugs.

The following groups of medications are mainly prescribed:

• protecting the mucous membrane of the esophagus from the harmful effects of acids;
• antacids for heartburn taken before meals;
• antispasmodic drugs (if the pain is severe - intramuscularly);
• normalizing the amount of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Let's take a closer look at each of the components of complex treatment:

1. Diet. It involves split meals. What does it mean? Portions of a single meal should be small, but you need to eat at least 5-6 times a day. All foods that have a detrimental effect on the condition of the mucous membrane should be completely excluded from the diet. These include fried, spicy, smoked, and salty dishes. Some foods and drinks should be completely excluded, for example, carbonated drinks, pickled foods, alcohol, coffee;
2. Medication course. It is advisable to prescribe antacids for heartburn in cases where the inflammatory process was caused by reflux. Antispasmodics allow you to eliminate painful sensations in a short time, but their use has a number of contraindications, the main of which is cardiac failure;
3. Antibiotics. In itself, a disease such as catarrhal esophagitis is not a reason for prescribing antibiotics. At the same time, diseases such as gastritis, duodenitis and other serious ailments of the digestive system cannot be cured without the use of antibiotics. Therefore, these drugs are also used for their treatment.

Folk remedies

The use of folk remedies may be effective in some cases: when the disease is only at an initial stage or when their use is only auxiliary and not the main method of primary therapy. Traditional recipes are aimed at eliminating the main painful symptoms of catarrhal esophagitis and their use may be useful for restoring damaged esophageal tissue.

Popular folk recipes for catarrhal esophagitis include:

1. Chamomile. For any type of esophageal esophagitis, this plant is effective due to its antiseptic effect. There are several options for using chamomile or its extract to treat diseases of the body's digestive system. The easiest way to use this substance is to brew tea. This prepared drink is taken orally up to 5 times a day, preferably before meals;
2. Flax seeds. Flax is a unique plant that contains a whole complex of vitamins and other useful elements. Flax seeds are used for the treatment and prevention of many diseases of the digestive system of the body, including catarrhal esophagitis. To prepare the folk remedy, you need to take the seeds and boil them in water for several hours. Take one tablespoon of the prepared decoction 3-4 times a day before meals;
3. Honey. An excellent remedy for quickly eliminating the inflammatory process. The only drawback is that some people are allergic to this product, so before starting treatment you need to make sure that there is no allergy. It is recommended to eat 50 g of fresh honey per day. You can do this in its pure form, or you can prepare a sweet drink based on it. The main recommendation is that the product should be consumed between meals. The best option is 2 hours before and after meals;
4. Sea buckthorn oil. The beneficial enveloping properties of this product make it effective for many gastrointestinal diseases. The product also has antiseptic, oncoprotective, healing and anti-inflammatory properties. You can prepare sea buckthorn oil yourself, but many people find it more convenient to buy it at the pharmacy. It is recommended to take the oil internally, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. It is advisable to take the product before meals, and the first dose should be on an empty stomach.

Prevention

Prevention of catarrhal esophagitis includes compliance with several rules. This makes it possible to achieve long-term remission in the chronic form of the disease and prevent the manifestation of the acute form.

So, the main preventive measures include:

1. Refusal of strong alcoholic drinks. The ethanol they contain has a detrimental effect on internal organs, especially the digestive system. Any liquid that a person consumes passes through the esophagus, and the effect of ethanol has a detrimental effect on the mucous membrane of the esophagus;
2. Timely treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. It is gastrointestinal diseases that can provoke chronic catarrhal esophagitis. What does timely treatment include? First of all, it is necessary to recognize and diagnose diseases such as gastritis in time and try to immediately begin to fight them;
3. Monitoring your daily diet. For some it comes easily, but most people have to readjust themselves to get used to proper nutrition - small, frequent and consisting of the right foods that do not irritate the mucous membrane of the esophagus.

Medical professionals call inflammatory damage to the mucous membrane of the esophagus “esophagitis.” This disease rarely develops as an independent disease; most often it occurs in conjunction with various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, which complicates its diagnosis. The mildest, but most common is catarrhal (superficial) esophagitis.

In this case, only the superficial layers of the esophageal mucosa are involved in the inflammatory process. Cases of the disease are recorded in people of different ages, with children less likely than adults, and men more often than women.

Types of catarrhal esophagitis

To correctly diagnose esophagitis, you need to know what it is, why it appears, and what signs it has.

The disease occurs in two forms:

• acute;
• chronic.

The acute form of the pathology develops quickly, after short-term exposure to the cause, it is easily treated, the mucous membrane is restored without changes.

Long-term irritation of the esophageal tissue causes chronic inflammation. Its cause is most often reflux - the return of stomach contents to the esophagus. This causes catarrhal reflux esophagitis, so it is best to consult a doctor when the first symptoms appear.

Normally, the lower cardiac muscular sphincter (valve) of the esophagus allows food to move into the stomach through the cardia (entrance) and prevents it from returning. Although physiological reflux occurs during the day due to the contractility of the stomach in a healthy person during food processing, the body’s defenses prevent the development of pathology.

Weakening of the muscles of the lower
sphincter leads to its full or partial opening and the flow of stomach contents into the esophagus, which contains enzymes and a significant portion of hydrochloric acid. An acidic environment provokes the development of reflux esophagitis. This cause of reflux is diagnosed as cardia failure.

Chronic damage to the esophagus, as a rule, occurs in conjunction with inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - gastritis, duodenitis, gastroduodenitis and others.

Types of catarrhal esophagitis are distinguished depending on the location of the inflamed area:

1. Proximal. Affects the upper part of the organ.
2. Distal (terminal). Develops in the lower third of the esophagus.
3. Total. The entire esophagus is inflamed.

Distal catarrhal esophagitis is almost always reflux esophagitis.

Causes and factors provoking the occurrence of pathology

In order to correctly diagnose and determine the direction of treatment for esophagitis, you need to know what it is, why it occurs, and what symptoms it has.

In accordance with the etiology of the disease, the following types of catarrhal esophagitis are distinguished:

• nutritional;
• stagnant;
• infectious;
• allergic;
• professional.

Alimentary catarrhal esophagitis occurs due to eating and drinking disorders, as well as abuse of coffee, tea, and alcohol.

Congestive catarrhal esophagitis appears in cases of retention of food particles on the esophageal mucosa.

Infectious catarrhal esophagitis develops rarely and can be triggered by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. They penetrate the body, or microorganisms that are located in the gastrointestinal tract and are opportunistic are activated. So the cause of fungal esophagitis is Candida yeast.

Allergic catarrhal esophagitis occurs when the patient has food and respiratory allergies.

Occupational catarrhal esophagitis occurs in people whose activities are associated with toxic substances.

Factors contributing to the occurrence of the disease are:

• weakened immunity;
• long-term stressful conditions;
• injuries from eating, instrumental examination;
• thermal and chemical burns;
• excess weight;
• pregnancy period;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

The cause of the development of catarrhal
reflux esophagitis in the distal part of the esophagus may be not only cardia insufficiency, but also its pathological narrowing (stenosis), diaphragmatic hernia in the esophagus, cardiac spasm. This is also facilitated by surgical removal of part of the stomach, neoplasms in the abdominal cavity, abuse of alcohol and sleeping pills and sedatives.

When diagnosing these diseases, specialists prescribe an instrumental examination of the esophagus, because it is possible to miss the latent course of catarrhal reflux esophagitis without manifestations.

The main signs of catarrhal inflammation of the esophagus

The course of superficial inflammation for a long time may be without pronounced manifestations. When eating, the patient feels slight pain and a burning sensation behind the sternum. Mild nausea and heartburn may occur.

These are signs that the esophageal mucosa is inflamed, which means it is hyperemic and swollen. But these symptoms are revealed only by instrumental examination.

If you experience nausea and heartburn, you should contact a gastroenterologist, as these are the main manifestations of catarrhal esophagitis at the onset of the disease.

The characteristic symptoms of acute catarrhal inflammatory lesions of the esophagus are as follows:

Since chronic catarrhal esophagitis is most often combined with various inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, especially gastroduodenitis, symptoms may reflect these pathologies:

• retrosternal pain radiating under the shoulder blade, neck or jaw;
• impaired swallowing and movement of food;
• belching with a sour taste, accompanied by hiccups;
• constant heartburn;
• repeated attacks of nausea and vomiting;
• excessive salivation.

In severe cases, difficulty breathing, hoarseness, and dry cough may occur.

What is distal catarrhal esophagitis can be found out using its signs and manifestations. They have some differences from other types of disease:

• general malaise;
• nervous tension;
• pain is localized in the thoracic esophagus and in the stomach area;
• burning behind the sternum;
• nausea and vomiting;
• constant heartburn;
• belching with a taste of acid and bitterness;
• coughing fits, voice changes;

Only a specialist can establish an accurate diagnosis and determine how to treat esophagitis based on the symptoms and results of the examination of the patient.

Treatment methods for catarrhal esophagitis

Treatment of the disease begins with dietary nutrition. At the beginning of the disease, this may be enough for recovery.

Avoid fatty foods from the diet
salty, sour, smoked, pickled foods, bean and cabbage dishes. Canned food, sausages, semi-finished products, instant food, and sauces are contraindicated. Tomatoes, strong tea, coffee, alcohol, and sweet carbonated drinks are also prohibited.

Use porridge with water or low-fat milk. You can cook boiled eggs or steamed omelettes. Low-fat fermented milk products, baked vegetables and fruits, and bread without yeast with bran are healthy.

For combined diseases, such as gastroduodenitis and esophagitis, dietary restrictions, which experts have designated as dietary table No. 5, are also suitable.

A diet for catarrhal esophagitis promotes recovery only if the diet is followed. Food is taken in small portions and overeating is avoided.

Sometimes, to treat the disease in the initial stages of development, fasting is prescribed for several days.

Medicines

In more severe cases, drug treatment is used:

If pain does not go away after using these medications, analgesics are prescribed. To cure esophagitis of infectious etiology, antibiotics, antifungal and antiviral drugs are prescribed.

Surgical treatment is used only for complicated forms of the disease.

Traditional methods

To treat esophagitis, it is effective to use folk remedies that can be prepared at home.

To increase the effectiveness of treatment of esophagitis, you can add a little honey to decoctions and infusions, if there are no contraindications.

Timely initiation of high-quality treatment ensures complete recovery from catarrhal esophagitis.

Poor diet, frequent stress, weakened immunity - all these factors contribute to the occurrence of diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract. According to medical statistics, more than half of the older population has some kind of digestive problems. Quite often, distal catarrhal esophagitis is diagnosed, the clinical manifestations of which are usually mild. Treatment of this condition is conservative and includes a number of measures: nutritional correction, medication, and the use of traditional methods of treatment.

A man at an appointment with a gastroenterologist

How and why catarrhal esophagitis occurs

Its main cause is a pathology such as gastroesophageal reflux, which occurs against the background of other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, catarrhal esophagitis often has a chronic form. The reflux of stomach contents leads to irritation and inflammatory changes in the mucous membrane of the lower third of the esophagus. Morphologically, distal catarrhal reflux esophagitis is expressed in hyperemia, infiltration of leukocytes and the appearance of moderate tissue edema. A similar mechanism for the development of catarrhal esophagitis is observed with hiatal hernias.

Other, less common causes of esophagitis:

• eating disorders, eating too hot or spicy foods;
• alcohol abuse, especially its substitutes;
• iatrogenic causes, for example, trauma during endoscopic examination;
• persistent vomiting due to another pathology;
• viral infectious diseases;
• immunodeficiency states (taking drugs that suppress the immune system, AIDS, exposure to high doses of radiation).

Symptoms

Symptoms of catarrhal distal esophagitis are usually mild; for this reason, most patients do not seek medical help for a long time, but prefer to fight the disease on their own or with the help of folk remedies. In this case, the disease takes on a chronic form, with periodic exacerbations and intensification of symptoms.

With catarrhal esophagitis, the patient may experience chest pain

The main symptom of catarrhal esophagitis is unpleasant sensations behind the sternum, which the patient characterizes as a burning sensation, a sensation of a lump, “something hot.” After eating spicy or too hard food, these symptoms intensify, the pain becomes sharp, stabbing, and radiates (spreads) to the front surface of the neck, to the interscapular area.

If catarrhal reflux esophagitis develops against the background of another gastrointestinal pathology, then other symptoms are added: belching of acidic stomach contents or air, nausea after eating, increased saliva production.

In the acute form of the disease, acute pain occurs in the chest area, up to the inability to eat. The duration of this condition is from several days to a week. With adequate treatment, symptoms regress, but can also become chronic.

The presence of any symptoms indicating damage to the esophagus requires mandatory consultation with a doctor. Timely detection of pathology will allow you to eliminate symptoms as soon as possible, avoid complications and the disease becoming chronic.

Diagnostics

For most patients, determining the diagnosis does not pose any particular difficulties. A detailed history of the disease and characteristic complaints make it possible to identify catarrhal esophagitis during the initial examination. Additional methods are used to clarify the root cause of the pathology, exclude lesions in the underlying parts of the gastrointestinal tract, or identify oncopathology:

• esophagoscopy is the most informative method for catarrhal esophagitis, however, during an exacerbation it is contraindicated due to the high probability of trauma to the mucous membrane;

Endoscopic examination of the esophagus

• pH-metry allows you to determine the presence of reflux of acidic stomach contents into the terminal esophagus, with what frequency and in what volume this occurs;
• esophageal manometry helps to assess the state of esophageal peristalsis;
• X-ray of the esophagus with contrast is not very informative; it helps to identify only indirect signs of catarrhal inflammation (swelling of the folds of the mucous membrane, blurred contours).

Endoscopic techniques are most indicated for chronic forms of catarrhal esophagitis; in this case, it is additionally possible to perform a biopsy of tissue from the esophageal mucosa, and thus identify asymptomatic forms of precancerous and tumor diseases (Barrett's esophagus, adenocarcinoma and others).

Treatment

Treatment of catarrhal esophagitis is usually conservative. A rare exception are forms of the disease provoked by another, more serious pathology (hernia, neoplasm), when surgical intervention is necessary.

Therapeutic measures include:

• diet therapy;
• correction of lifestyle, sleep conditions;
• prescribing medications that reduce the acidity of gastric contents;
• drugs that have protective properties against the esophageal mucosa;
• agents that improve motor characteristics of the esophagus;
• if necessary, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral medications.

Diet therapy

You need to start treatment with a properly selected diet

In the treatment of catarrhal esophagitis, nutritional correction plays an important role. In the acute phase of the disease, diet No. 1 according to Pevzner is prescribed. It involves mechanical, chemical, thermal sparing of the gastrointestinal mucosa. In addition, to avoid gastroesophageal reflux, the foods consumed should not cause excessive secretion of gastric juice.

Frequent meals up to 6-7 times a day, in small portions, are recommended. Culinary processing - dishes are prepared in liquid, pureed or crushed form, boiled or steamed. Fried, too salty or sour foods, pickled foods, coarse fiber, crackers, and so on are prohibited.

Puree soups prepared with vegetable or cereal broth, liquid porridge (semolina, or you can use porridge for baby food) are allowed. Meat is served in the form of a steam soufflé or boiled quenelles, boiled and pureed vegetables, steamed omelettes, dairy products, and jelly or jelly for desserts. Food should be warm, but not cold or hot.

Lifestyle correction

To avoid the backflow of acidic gastric contents, after eating you should not take a horizontal position for at least an hour. At night, it is recommended to sleep with the head end raised; for this, the legs of the bed are raised by 6-8 cm. Sports activities with frequent bending of the body forward, somersaults, and sudden lifting of weights are contraindicated.

Drug therapy

Antacids have an effect that envelops and protects the esophageal mucosa: Almagel, Rennie, Maalox and others. For severe pain, agents with anesthetics are recommended, for example, Almagel A, which contains anesthesin.

To reduce the acidity of gastric contents, proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, lansoprazole) or H2-histamine blockers (ranitidine, roxatidine) are prescribed. Additionally, agents are used that improve the motor functions of the gastrointestinal tract: motoricum, metoclopramide.

To improve reparative processes in the esophageal mucosa, solcoseryl and actovegin are indicated. Immunomodulators and multivitamin complexes also promote tissue restoration.

It should be remembered that medications are taken only under the supervision of a general practitioner or gastroenterologist. Self-medication can lead to chronicity of the process and complications of the disease.

Folk remedies

The following collection is effective: flax seeds, lemon balm, chamomile, St. John's wort. Take an equal amount of each herb and mix thoroughly. Pour two tablespoons of herbal mixture into 500 ml of water and keep in a water bath for 20-25 minutes. Let it brew for 2-3 hours and take half a glass before meals.

Another fairly simple remedy is an infusion of dill seeds. To prepare it, pour two dessert spoons of dill into a glass of boiling water and leave for two to three hours. Take a dessert spoon before each meal. Sea buckthorn oil, which is taken a dessert spoon between meals, also helps well with esophagitis.

Sea buckthorn oil can improve the condition of the esophageal mucosa

Forecast

Catarrhal esophagitis has a favorable course; if you follow a diet and properly selected therapy, recovery occurs. Lack of treatment and non-compliance with the diet lead to the progression of the pathology with the transition to an erosive form, the development of complications in the form of stenosis and dysfunction of the organ.