If you’re diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE), understanding what triggers it can go a long way toward reducing your symptoms.
This chronic immune system disease causes blood cells called eosinophils to build up in the lining of your esophagus. Flare-ups can range from uncomfortable to life-threatening.
Dr. Sreelatha Reddy and the team at Houston Gastrointestinal & Liver Clinic, P.A. in Sugar Land, Texas, diagnose and treat gastrointestinal conditions, including EOE, to improve your health and quality of life.
Take a moment to learn more about EOE, including how to manage common triggers.
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) basics
Most anyone can develop EOE, but it’s more likely if you live in a dry, cold environment, have a family history of the disease, or have allergies or asthma.
EOE has become increasingly common in recent years, alongside a rise in asthma and allergies. Diagnoses have also risen due to increased awareness of the disease.
Eosinophilic esophagitis causes immune reactions when your body perceives something seemingly benign as a threat. As a result, you can experience various symptoms, such as:
- Abdominal pain
- Backflow of undigested food after eating
- Difficulty swallowing, or dysphagia
- Food getting stuck in your esophagus after swallowing (a medical emergency)
- Post-meal chest pain that doesn’t respond to antacids
Symptoms more common in children include difficulty eating, vomiting, and failure to thrive. Some small children with EOE develop malnutrition if not treated.
Eosinophilic esophagitis is also linked to anxiety and depression, which may derive from stress surrounding unmanaged symptoms. Ongoing mental health challenges may also worsen when EOE flares up.
Common EOE triggers
Common factors that can spur or worsen your eosinophilic esophagitis symptoms include:
- A food allergy, especially to eggs, dairy, nuts, seafood/shellfish, or soy
- Acid reflux, when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus after you eat
- Seasonal allergies, such as to pollen
Depending on your EOE trigger, your symptoms might come in waves or appear on an ongoing, or chronic, basis. You could also experience chronic symptoms that grow more intense during a particular time of year, such as spring, if you deal with seasonal allergies.
Treatment for EOE
Proper EOE diagnosis and treatment are important for improving your well-being and preventing complications. Ongoing inflammation and scarring from flare-ups can damage your esophagus, for example, raising your risk of throat blockage after eating.
Once she’s diagnosed you with EOE, Dr. Reddy recommends a personalized treatment plan. Depending on factors such as your overall health and the severity of your symptoms, your plan may include:
- An elimination diet to see if avoiding certain foods improves your symptoms
- An acid blocker, such as a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
- Monoclonal antibodies, potentially in injection form
- Steroids, such as budesonide or fluticasone
If your throat has narrowed and medication isn’t helpful or ideal, you may benefit from dilation, a procedure that makes swallowing easier.
Dr. Reddy can also suggest lifestyle changes, such as sleeping with your head elevated and limiting foods that bring on heartburn.
To learn more about eosinophilic esophagitis or to get the care you need, call Houston Gastrointestinal & Liver Clinic, P.A. or request an appointment today.
