If you have reflux esophagitis, chances are you’ll know it. It presents with some very obvious symptoms. The main symptom is a burning chest pain that is similar to heartburn. This pain is caused by acid backing up into your esophagus and can cause damage to the esophageal lining. Left untreated, it can also increase your chances of getting esophageal cancer. The other main symptoms of this condition are having worse esophageal pain at night, worse pain when lying flat on your back, and having worse pain after eating or drinking things that have high acid contents.
The cause of reflux esophagitis is a weak esophageal sphincter valve that allows food and stomach acid to exit your stomach the way it came in, bringing it up into the throat, and sometimes even the sinuses. Being overweight, frequently eating fatty foods, and frequently overeating can cause this condition, because all of these things contribute to stretching out your stomach and weakening the esophageal valve. Simply avoiding these things can go a long way toward preventing the condition from developing in the first place.
Sometimes, hernias in the area of the esophagus can precipitate the condition, as well. Doing exercises to increase the strength of the muscles in this area can help heal and even prevent the disease. If you already have the disease and have to take muscle relaxers for any reason, it may make the symptoms worse while you are on that medication, since it will relax the esophageal sphincter even more than it already is relaxed. If you must take muscle relaxers, try to take them for the smallest amount of time possible to ensure you don’t cause permanent damage to your esophagus.
If you suspect you may have this condition, you should see a gastroenterologist or an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist for a definite diagnosis. You will have to go through a few diagnostic procedures to see if it is reflux esophagitis or some other acid condition affecting the esophagus. There are several different kinds of reflux conditions, and while they are all similar, they may need to be treated differently in different people. The important thing is to get treatment so that no permanent damage is done to your esophagus. Left untreated, this condition can cause permanent hoarseness, a persistent cough, or sinus troubles. Whether you use traditional prescription medications or home remedies, you want to treat it as soon as you get a diagnosis to minimize possible damage and persistent problems.