The esophagus is a muscular tube, which pushes swallowed food from the mouth into the stomach.
What is Eosinophilic Esophagitis?
Eosinophilic esophagitis is a type of esophagitis caused by allergy.
- Proliferation of eosinophils due to other diseases associated with an allergy such as asthma, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis.
- People with eosinophilic esophagitis are more likely to suffer from these above said allergic diseases.
Nevertheless, the precise substance that is causing this allergic reaction in eosinophilic esophagitis does still not know. The indication for eosinophilic esophagitis is the presence of large numbers of eosinophils in the inner lining of the esophagus.
Eosinophilic esophagitis also called as EE, EOE, eosinophilic oesophagitis, EO, allergic esophagitis, primary eosinophilic esophagitis, and idiopathic eosinophilic esophagitis.
What is Eosinophils?
Eosinophils are white blood cells (leukocytes) produced in the bone marrow, which is one types of cells that vigorously elevate inflammation. They are specifically vigorous in the type of inflammation caused by allergic reactions. Thus, huge numbers of eosinophils are gathering in tissues such as the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, and in the blood when the person is exposing to an allergen. The allergen that causes eosinophilic esophagitis is still unknown, also it is not clear whether the allergen is inhaled or ingested.
Men are more affected than women are, and are most common among young boys and men.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis Symptoms
The most common symptom of eosinophilic esophagitis is: Difficulty in swallowing solid food called dysphagia. Particularly, the food is stuck in the esophagus after swallowed.
The less common symptoms of eosinophilic esophagitis are: heartburn and Chest pain.
In children, the most common symptoms of eosinophilic esophagitis are:
- abdominal pain,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- coughing,
- Failure to grow