Catarrhal esophagitis- damage to the mucous membrane of the esophagus, which is provoked by the inflammatory process. It should be noted that in most cases, catarrhal esophagitis is a consequence of other gastroenterological diseases, that is, it is of a secondary nature, but independent development is not excluded. pathological process.

As a subform of this disease, distal catarrhal esophagitis can occur. In this case, the pathological process will be strictly localized in the lower third of the esophagus. If therapy is not started in a timely manner, then the catarrhal form goes into erosive esophagitis which has bad predictions.

The defeat of the esophagus can be diffuse or limited, in this case it all depends on etiological factor... Elimination of this disease is carried out by conservative methods, with mandatory diet therapy. There is no gender or age limit, however, it is rarely diagnosed in children.

Etiology

Catarrhal esophagitis can be caused by both external and internal etiological factors. Internal should include:

• distal - due to the regular reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus, an inflammatory process begins, which affects the esophageal mucosa;
• in acute and;
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome;
• oncological processes in the gastrointestinal tract;
• viruses,;
• long-term intake heavy drugs- antibiotics, analgesics, cytostatics;
• spicy ;
• consequences after surgical intervention in the gastrointestinal tract.

External etiological factors include the following:

• alcohol and substitute abuse, tobacco smoking;
• insufficient amount of fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs in the diet;
• abuse of food that irritates the intestinal mucosa;
• frequent snacks on the go poor chewing food;
• non-compliance diet food in the presence of chronic gastroenterological diseases;
• chronic, persistent nervous tension, which can also lead to overeating or poor digestion of food with all the consequences;
• eating too hot food.

Separately, it should be said that catarrhal esophagitis may be the result of improperly performed medical manipulations, in particular esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Classification

By the nature of the flow, they are distinguished:

• acute form;
• chronic.

According to the severity of the pathological process, there are:

• first degree- small foci of inflammation can form on the mucous membrane of the esophagus, there is no fusion, quite often it is asymptomatic;
• second degree- several affected areas can be grouped together. The patient may be disturbed, pain in the chest area;
• third degree- the inflammatory process affects more than half of the gastric mucosa, pronounced symptoms of the disease can bother the patient, regardless of food intake;
• fourth degree- more than 75% of the mucous membrane of the organ is affected, ulcers may form,.

If you start treatment in the early stages of the development of the disease, then it is possible full recovery, and the risk of complications is minimized.

Symptoms

On initial stage development, catarrhal esophagitis may be asymptomatic. The patient may occasionally (most often after drinking a large number oily and heavy food) disturb attacks of heartburn, abdominal pain.

As the severity of the disease worsens, the following clinical picture may appear:

• heartburn with belching;
• hiccups;
• bad smell from mouth;
• nausea, frequent vomiting;
• pain in the stomach, which can radiate to the retrosternal region;
• violation of swallowing function;
• increased salivation;
• with physical exertion, abdominal pain may worsen.

In some cases, there may be a violation of the act of defecation - long-term ones can alternate with bouts of diarrhea.

If catarrhal reflux esophagitis is present, then the following signs may join the general clinical picture:

• pain in the abdomen will radiate to the interscapular region and left side chest;
• sour belching;
• regurgitation may be present in children after feeding;
• stomach pains are cramping in nature, as the disease worsens, they can bother the patient even at rest.

The acute form of the disease is characterized by a sudden, intense clinical picture, which can independently regress after 1-2 weeks, depending on the etiological factor. However, this should not be regarded as a recovery - acute form can turn into chronic, which is almost asymptomatic, but can also provoke the development of serious complications.

It should be noted that such clinical picture can be observed not only with, but also with other diseases, therefore, it is unacceptable to independently compare the symptoms and treatment. The correct course of treatment can only be prescribed by the attending physician after all the necessary diagnostic activities.

Diagnostics

In the presence of the above-described clinical picture, the patient should seek advice from a gastroenterologist. First of all, the doctor conducts a physical examination of the patient with palpation of the painful area. During initial examination the gastroenterologist should establish the following:

• when exactly the symptoms began to appear and what preceded it (perhaps overeating, eating too sour or spicy food, taking some medications);
• is there a history of the patient chronic diseases gastroenterological nature;
• whether there were any operations on the gastrointestinal tract.

It is important - if the patient took any means to eliminate the signs without a doctor's prescription, you should notify this before starting the diagnostic measures. This is due to the fact that some drugs can lead to a blurred clinical picture, and, as a result, an incorrect diagnosis.

To clarify the diagnosis and determine the etiology, the following diagnostic measures can be carried out:

• intraesophageal pH-metry;
• X-ray of the esophagus - this method instrumental diagnostics carried out only if there is a suspicion of an oncological process;
• esophageal manometry - to determine gastric motility;
• esophagoscopy of the stomach - the most informative method if this disease is suspected, however, it is used only in cases where there are no symptoms of an exacerbation of the disease;
• endoscopic biopsy with mucosal tissue sampling for subsequent histological examination.

The doctor can determine the etiology of the disease and prescribe the correct treatment only after receiving all the necessary research results. Self-medication is strongly discouraged.

Treatment

Catarrhal esophagitis responds well to treatment conservative methods... Diet is mandatory.

Medication may include the following drugs:

• antibiotics, if the infectious nature of the disease is established;
• antifungal with the appropriate nature of the disease;
• antispasmodics;
• enveloping - bismuth nitrate, calcium carbonate;
• astringents - silver nitrate, colloidal silver, tannin;
• anesthetics local action;
• drugs to improve gastric motility;
• injection reparants, with the fourth degree of damage to the esophageal mucosa.

It should be noted that treatment with drugs alone will be ineffective if not adhered to. optimal mode nutrition. With this disease, the patient can be assigned a dietary table number 1, which implies the following:

• seasonings are completely excluded, salt is limited;
• excluded food that can irritate the mucous membrane - acidic, fatty, rough food;
• food should only be puree, liquid or slimy, consumed exclusively in a warm form;
• the patient should eat often, in small portions.

With an exacerbation of the disease on the first day, food should be completely abandoned, warm weak tea is recommended, mineral water without gas, herbal decoctions... In some cases, the patient may be on parenteral nutrition for some time.

If catarrhal esophagitis has developed against the background of another gastroenterological disease and on this moment the patient is undergoing treatment by taking the tablet form of drugs, it can be replaced with parenteral forms of the same drugs.

In general, provided that treatment is started in a timely manner, complete recovery is possible, significant complications can be avoided. At chronic form ailment, in order to maximize the prolongation of the phase of stable remission, one should constantly adhere to a diet and be observed by a gastroenterologist.

Prophylaxis

Prevention of this gastroenterological disease is as follows:

• giving up overuse alcoholic beverages;
• elimination of rough food from the diet;
• food in a timely manner and without haste, thoroughly chewing food;
• timely treatment all gastroenterological ailments.

In addition, it must be remembered that timely diagnosis disease significantly increases the chances of a full recovery, so you need to systematically undergo an examination by a gastroenterologist for preventive purposes.

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Catarrhal reflux esophagitis is the most common form of pathology. As a result of the development of the disease, polysystemic damage occurs. They negatively affect not only the esophagus, but also the adjacent organs. digestive system.

Reflux esophagitis - inflammatory changes in the distal esophagus that occur as a result of the release of duodenal or gastric contents. As a result of this process, a change in the environment is observed. When the body is healthy, the pH of the lower esophagus is 6.0. Catarrhal reflux esophagitis is diagnosed if the pH drops below 4.0 (this change is formed due to the release of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus) or if the pH rises above 7.0 (in this case the ingress of pancreatic juice and bile is noted).

The human body develops protective mechanisms that prevent the development of esophageal pathology:

• The muscles of the lower alimentary sphincter are characterized by a high tone, due to which, in a calm state, it is in a closed position. With the swallowing movement, a decrease in the activity of the sphincter muscles is noted, and the food masses overcome the esophagus, penetrate into the stomach. After this, the sphincter completely closes - antireflux barrier function.
• Clearance.
• Mucosal resistance.
• Excretion of stomach contents, and control of acid production.

In case of violation defense mechanisms pathology develops.

Causes

Reduced tone of the lower alimentary sphincter or more frequent spontaneous relaxation causes catarrhal reflux esophagitis.

The reasons causing hypotonia of the hole and the formation of pathology:

• frequent consumption of foods that include caffeine (tea or coffee), and medications (cofetamine or borimed);
• the use of peppermint;
• application medicines that lower the tone of the sphincter (papaverine, no-shpa, metamizole sodium and others);
• pathology vagus nerve(development of vagal neuropathy in diabetes mellitus);
• the use of nicotine, which lowers the tone of the sphincter;
• reception alcoholic beverages, causing not only a decrease in tone, but also a direct pathological effect on healthy state the shell of the esophagus;
• the period of pregnancy (in this case, the development of hypotension occurs due to endocrine changes - increased level estrogen and progesterone; and due to increased pressure in the peritoneal region).

Causes that can cause spontaneous weakening esophageal opening:

• dyskinesia of the esophagus - a violation of contraction, as a result of which the formation of reflux esophagitis is noted when swallowing;
• hernia of the digestive opening;
• fast, hasty food intake, which leads to the swallowing of a significant amount of air and an increase in pressure inside the stomach, causing the sphincter to relax;
• bloating;
• development of ulcerative pathology (most often duodenal ulcer);
• violation of the patency of the duodenum;
• use fatty foods, baked goods, fried foods, causes inhibition of food masses in the stomach, which provokes an increase in intragastric pressure.

All of these factors affect the release of gastric contents, which includes aggressive agents (pepsin, bile acids and hydrochloric acid), leading to disruption of the integrity of the esophageal mucosa.

Symptoms

The clinical picture of reflux esophagitis covers two types of symptoms.

Esophageal symptoms:

1. The main symptom of the development of catarrhal reflux esophagitis is heartburn. The patient develops a burning sensation behind the sternum, extending upward from the xiphoid process. Heartburn occurs after taking certain foods, alcohol, cigarettes; tilting the body forward, strong physical activity; after clamping the stomach area.
2. After the entry of stomach contents through the lower esophageal opening into the esophagus, and then into oral cavity, belching develops. Belching is accompanied by the presence of bitterness and sour taste. Most often it forms when the body is horizontal or when the body is tilted forward. Belching of food that has been eaten may occur. With a very low sphincter tone, gastric contents may enter the oral cavity along with belching.
3. The development of dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing food, which occurs due to dyskinesia of the esophagus or dry mucosa.
4. Rarely, along with heartburn, a sensation of excess saliva in the oral cavity is formed.
5. Feeling of a coma behind the breastbone.
6. Painful movement of food through the esophagus - odonophagy, occurs with a bright process of inflammation.
7. When the phrenic nerve and diaphragm are excited, hiccups develop, which brings great discomfort to the patient.
8. Severe vomiting.

Extraesophageal symptoms include:

The severity of the disease is determined using endoscopic examination:

All of the above symptoms are indications for detailed diagnostics... It is very important to have a proper medical history to distinguish catarrhal reflux esophagitis from other diseases of the digestive system.

Diagnostics

There are many diagnostic techniques, which allow not only to accurately establish the presence of pathology, but also to name the cause of the development of reflux esophagitis.

1. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy is performed only after an ECG examination. As a result of the examination, it is possible to detect not only the presence of esophagitis, but also erosion of the mucous membrane or peptic ulcer of the esophagus, which has similar symptoms.
2. X-ray examination of the esophagus and stomach. This examination is carried out after the use of a special contrasting mass in a vertical position and the evacuation of barium sulfate. After that, the patient lies down horizontally, as a result of which barium returns to the esophagus, which is a symptom of catarrhal reflux esophagitis. In addition, there are signs such as: an enlarged lumen of the esophagus, altered relief of the mucous membrane, uneven contours, weak contraction.
3. Esophagomanometry is a technique that measures the pressure in the esophagus. An examination is carried out using special balloon probes. With the development of pathology, there is a reduced pressure in the region of the lower esophageal opening.
4. Twenty-four-hour intraesophageal pH monitoring followed by computer processing is the most sensitive technique for detecting diseases of the esophagus. Using this technique it is possible to establish the daily dynamics of gastroesophageal emissions and their duration.
5. Gastric intubation using methylene blue. Using a special gastric tube, a small amount of dye is injected into the stomach. This is followed by flushing with NaCl solution (isotonic to blood plasma) and suctioning the contents of the esophagus with a syringe. If the received content turns blue, then we can talk about esophagitis.
6. Using a standard acid reflux test, which is carried out by introducing hydrochloric acid into the stomach and registering a pH with a pH probe.
7. Ultrasound diagnostics of the gastrointestinal tract.

And also such analyzes as OAM, OAK and coprogram, Gregersen reaction, LHC are mandatory.

Treatment methods

Based on the individual characteristics of the body (other diseases, allergic reactions, contraindications to the procedures), the doctor is appointed complex treatment pathology, which includes adherence to proper nutrition, drug therapy, sometimes tricks traditional medicine... With absence positive effect surgery may be required.

Diet therapy

Compliance with a diet is considered one of the first points in the method of treating pathology. The patient is recommended:

• observe meals five to six times a day, in small portions;
• displacement from the diet of fatty, fried, spicy, salty, acidic foods that can act as irritants;
• exclusion of alcoholic and carbonated, tobacco products, coffee and strong tea.

The menu must include following products power supply:

• lean meats, poultry and fish;
• non-acidic natural juices;
• second day pastries in small quantities;
• mineral waters that do not contain gases;
• non-acidic vegetables and fruits;
• cereals;
• jelly;
• dairy products with low content fat.

If you stick to simple rules on nutrition, the improvement in well-being will come after seven to ten days.

Drug therapy

Medical treatment is prescribed by a doctor, based on the cause of the development of the disease.

Therapy is carried out by antispasmodics, enveloping agents and drugs that are part of the antacid group. V exceptional cases antibacterial or antifungal drugs are prescribed.

Drug therapy includes taking the following medications:

• lowering the acidity level of gastric juice;
• strengthening the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter.

After a month of therapy, repeated examinations are prescribed to assess the dynamics of the disease.

This is followed by taking medications for six months to consolidate the results. In the absence of positive dynamics, the intake of cytoprotectors and prokinetics is connected. The patient must definitely maintain therapy with H2-histamine receptor blockers, especially with the development of an acute relapse.

There have been cases when the onset of relapse occurred after the termination of drug treatment. This is most often observed due to the use of alcohol, nicotine during therapy, or early withdrawal of drugs.

Surgical intervention

At severe course diseases, when the formation of strictures, ulcers, stenoses occurs, a surgical operation is prescribed. As a result of the operation, an endoscopic dissection of the stricture, expansion and bougienage of the esophagus is performed. For certain indications, resection or plastic surgery of the esophagus may be prescribed.

The best result is provided by a comprehensive treatment that helps to get rid of acute symptoms, and then finally transfer the disease to the stage of remission.

Traditional medicine recipes

As additional treatment traditional medicine recipes can be applied. But first of all, you need to consult with your doctor.

For relax acute phase the disease uses an infusion made from aloe juice and dill. With anti-inflammatory properties, 1 tablespoon a day will help relieve pain.

Esophagitis is an inflammation of the esophagus. The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the pharynx to the stomach, through which food and drinks pass.

Esophagitis - what is it?

Esophagitis is an inflammatory process that affects the wall of the esophagus. Patients may experience difficulty swallowing, as well as chest pain - heartburn. This disease is much more common in adults. Esophagitis can be acute or chronic. Acute esophagitis is differentiated into catarrhal (superficial) or phlegmonous, and chronic - into hypertrophic or atrophic. In some cases, untreated catarrhal esophagitis can lead to changes in the structure and function of the esophagus.

According to statistical studies, esophagitis occurs in 2 - 5% of people over 55 years old. With a quick and correct diagnosis, the prognosis of this disease is usually favorable. In addition, the prognosis depends on the course of the underlying disease.

Esophagitis symptoms

Symptoms and signs most commonly seen with esophagitis are:

• Abdominal pain.
• Odinophagy - pain when swallowing.
• Dysphagia - difficulty swallowing.
• Feeling of food being stuck in the esophagus.
• Nausea and sometimes vomiting.
• Cough.
• Pain while eating, heartburn.
• Wounds in the mouth.

In young children, signs of esophagitis may be feeding difficulties and subsequent poor weight gain. At this age, most children cannot yet describe their complaints and symptoms.

Esophagitis reasons

Esophagitis can cause several conditions. The most common cause is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Sometimes, esophagitis can be caused by more than one factor. Inflammation of the esophagus can have the following causes:

Risk factors for developing esophagitis

The following factors increase the chances of developing reflux esophagitis:

• Being overweight or obese.
• Hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm.
• Pregnancy.
• Smoking.
• Regular consumption of certain foods and drinks in large quantities. These include tomato products, citrus fruits, chocolate, garlic, onions, spicy foods, spirits, and caffeine.
• Allergic reactions. People with allergies have increased risk development of eosinophilic esophagitis.
• Taking medicines. Taking large tablets or capsules, taking medication while lying down, or taking medications shortly before bed can increase the risk of developing drug esophagitis.
• Infectious diseases. Having a weakened immune system may increase the risk of developing infectious esophagitis, which can also occur in people who have had radiation therapy or have received other cancer treatments, HIV or AIDS patients who have received organ transplants and are taking immunosuppressive drugs.

How is esophagitis diagnosed?

After questioning the patient about their symptoms and history, the doctor performs a physical examination and may order further diagnostic tests.

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The upper layers of the mucous membrane of the esophageal wall with certain negative factors may become inflamed, which is called esophagitis. The most common form of this disease is catarrhal, in which the nature of the lesion is moderate, not accompanied by deep destruction of organ tissues and damage to the submucosa. Depending on the localization, the disease can be distal, proximal and total, when the lower part is affected, respectively, upper section and the entire body. The article will consider distal catarrhal esophagitis: what it is, causes of development, clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment methods. This form is also called reflux esophagitis.

Short description

Distal catarrhal reflux esophagitis often develops with cardia insufficiency, when gastric contents enter the esophagus ( gastric juice, bile), constantly irritating the mucous membrane. This occurs against the background of infectious diseases or other factors. In most cases, the pathology is combined with the hiatal hernia, which stands for hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm. The disease is characterized mainly by chronic course, but the sharp influence of a certain aggressive factor causes an acute form. According to statistics, a greater percentage of the morbidity is diagnosed in men, the causes of which are smoking and alcohol abuse. And these are factors that are one of the first irritants of an organ such as the esophagus.

Forms of pathology

Classification of the disease by the nature of the course:

• chronic, developing as a result of prolonged negative impact on the mucous membrane of a certain pathological factor, for example, mechanically rough, very hot or excessively cold food, and the like;
• acute, arising from the sharp action of an unfavorable factor, which can be infection, injury to a mucous organ, and so on.

Classification by provoking factor:

• an allergic type that occurs under the influence of allergens;
• infectious caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses;
• alimentary, in which the provoking factor is the incorrect and irrational use of food;
• stagnant, developing under the influence of food debris in the lumen of the organ;
• professional, which appears when aggressive substances enter the esophagus, for example, alkaline, acidic, etc.

Degrees of development

There are several degrees of severity of catarrhal distal reflux esophagitis:

1. I degree, characterized by local foci of inflammation, present in small numbers, no more than five centimeters in size, their fusion, as well as symptoms, is absent;
2. II degree, at which the percentage of damage to the mucous wall is from 10 to 15 percent, the size of the defective zones is more than five centimeters, they begin to gradually merge with each other, at this stage the first signs appear in the form pain syndrome, burning and heartburn, and sometimes pathological exudate is released;
3. Grade III is characterized by damage to about half of the mucous membrane with the fusion of erosive foci in some areas, at this stage tissue necrosis and the severity of symptoms may already appear, regardless of food intake;
4. IV degree, when more than 75 percent of the mucous membrane is affected, and the foci of inflammation are completely merged, complications such as chronic ulcers, narrowing of the lumen, tissue necrosis appear.

Causes of occurrence

The main factor causing pathological condition, is an unhealthy diet, which consists in excessive enthusiasm sour, pickled and rough food, drinking a lot of carbonated drinks, coffee and alcohol. This factor is referred to as chemical, along with the negative effects on the esophagus of alkalis and acids. There is also a thermal factor, which consists in the systematic receipt of mucosal burns due to regular use very hot food, drinks. There are also endogenous factors, that is, internal, such as insufficiency of the cardia, duodeno-gastric and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Other reasons for the development of pathology can be trauma to the esophagus, infection of a different nature, prolonged very strong heartburn.

Clinical picture

The characteristic symptoms of the disease are as follows:

• pain in chest area, which at the beginning of the development of pathology is mild, aching in nature;
• heartburn;
• paroxysmal cough;
• eructations that have a sour taste;
• nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting;
• a whitish coating on the tongue, which does not always appear;
• hoarse, hoarse voice.

It is noteworthy that in about thirty percent of cases, this disease is asymptomatic.

Diagnostic measures

The most effective method diagnosis is esophagoscopy, which allows to identify foci of edema and hypertension. Additionally, radiography with contrast agent, fibrogastroscopy, examination for pH environment, radionucleide scanning, computed or magnetic resonance imaging.

The essence of the treatment

The most important condition for the treatment of catarrhal distal esophagitis with initial forms is compliance special diet... Most often this is Pevzner's number one table. The therapy also includes taking remedies to eliminate heartburn, pain relievers, as well as drugs that help envelop the mucous membrane.

Vitamins, traditional medicine recipes are included, among which infusions with medicinal herbs having anti-inflammatory effects ( oak bark, calendula, chamomile), sea buckthorn oil and others. The treatment is supplemented with physiotherapeutic procedures (laser endoscopy, electrophoresis with novocaine, oxygen exposure, etc.). If the disease is in an advanced stage (regular bleeding, precancerous stage) and the methods of conservative medicine are ineffective, then they resort to surgery.

Catarrhal esophagitis is one of the most common esophageal pathologies 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 by itself. Doctors also warn about the dangers of such an attitude towards their health.

Esophagitis is an inflammatory process that begins in the lining of the esophagus. If, in the 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 negative impact on the mucous membrane, as a result of which it swells and becomes 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 any 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 start inflammatory process the mucous membrane of the esophagus. When the lesion is insignificant, this is the time to start treatment, but, unfortunately, the disease cannot always be recognized immediately. Still, at least occasionally, the symptoms begin to appear. It is important not to neglect them, then it will turn out to detect the problem in time.

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

Causes

The main cause of the development of the disease is considered to be unhealthy diet, namely the frequent use of junk food.

These foods include:

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

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

In addition, sometimes there are other factors that have become the causes of catarrhal esophagitis. These include:

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

Forms of the disease

There are two forms of catarrhal esophagitis:

1. Sharp. She is characterized by such additional symptoms like an increase in body temperature, general malaise, discomfort during and after meals. In other words, the acute form of catarrhal esophagitis is accompanied by a worsening general condition sick;
2. Chronic. Most often, this form of the disease develops against the background of other more serious illnesses digestive system. For example, catarrhal esophagitis often accompanies diseases such as gastritis or duodenitis. In the chronic form of the disease, especially pronounced painful sensations are observed, which are manifested not only in the chest area, but can also be given 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 plays the observance of a special diet, the purpose of which is to select acceptable products and their correct preparation... It is also important to eat small meals and to eat absolutely no food three hours before bedtime. The basis of the traditional treatment catarrhal esophagitis are drugs.

Basically, the following groups of medicines are prescribed:

• protecting the lining of the esophagus from harmful action 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 component parts complex treatment:

1. Diet. It assumes fractional meals. What does it mean? Servings of a single meal should be small, but you should 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, salty foods. Certain 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 when the inflammatory process was caused by reflux. Antispasmodics allow for short term eliminate painful sensations, but their use has a number of contraindications, the main of which is cardiac insufficiency;
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 therapy.

Folk remedies

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

Popular folk recipes from catarrhal esophagitis include:

1. Chamomile. For any type of esophagitis of the esophagus, 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. Such a prepared drink is taken inside up to 5 times a day, preferably before meals;
2. Flax seeds. Flax is unique plant, which 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 and catarrhal esophagitis as well. For cooking folk remedy you need to take the seeds and boil them for several hours in water. The cooked broth is taken one tablespoon 3-4 times a day before meals;
3. Honey. Excellent remedy for quick elimination inflammatory process. The only drawback is that some people are allergic to this product, so before starting treatment, you need to make sure that it is not. It is recommended to eat 50 g of fresh honey per day. You can do it neat, 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- 2 hours before and after meals;
4. Sea buckthorn oil... The beneficial enveloping properties of this product make it effective for many gastrointestinal diseases. Also, the product has antiseptic, oncoprotective, healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Sea buckthorn oil can be prepared on your own, but many people find it more convenient to buy it at a pharmacy. It is recommended to take the oil by mouth 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. It is advisable to take the remedy before meals, and the first intake should be on an empty stomach.

Prophylaxis

Prevention of catarrhal esophagitis includes following several rules. This allows you to achieve long-term remission in the chronic form of the disease and prevent the manifestation of the acute form.

So, to the main preventive measures relate:

1. Refusal from strong alcoholic drinks. The ethanol they contain has a detrimental effect on the internal organs, especially the digestive system. Any liquid that a person uses 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 diseases of the gastrointestinal tract 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 start combating them;
3. Control for daily diet nutrition. It is easy for some, but most people have to rebuild themselves to get used to proper nutrition- fractional, frequent and consisting of the right products that do not irritate the lining of the esophagus.