Common signs and symptoms of esophagitis include:
- Difficult swallowing (dysphagia)
- Painful swallowing (odynophagia)
- Chest pain, particularly behind the breastbone, that occurs with eating
- Swallowed food becoming stuck in the esophagus (food impaction)
- Abdominal pain
- Decreased appetite
In young children, particularly those too young to explain their discomfort or pain, signs of esophagitis may include:
- Feeding difficulties
- Failure to thrive
When to see a doctor
Most signs and symptoms of esophagitis can be caused by a number of different conditions affecting the digestive system. See your doctor if signs or symptoms:
- Last more than a few days
- Don't improve or go away with over-the-counter antacids
- Are severe enough to make eating difficult
- Are accompanied by flu symptoms, such as headache, fever and muscle aches
- Are accompanied by shortness of breath or chest pain not triggered immediately with eating
Get emergency care if you:
Sep. 15, 2011
- Experience pain in your chest that lasts more than a few minutes
- Suspect you have food lodged in your esophagus
- Have a history of heart disease and experience chest pain
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- Heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux (GER), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/index.htm. Accessed Aug. 1, 2011.
- Castell DO. Medication-induced esophagitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 1, 2011.
- Graman PS. Esophagitis. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00094-1&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&uniqId=270386537-4#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00094-1. Accessed Aug. 1, 2011.
- Patti MG. Gastroesophageal reflux disease: From pathophysiology to treatment. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2010;16:3745.
- Geagea A, et al. Scope of drug-induced, infectious and allergic esophageal injury. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology. 2008;24:496.
- Picco MF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. Aug. 11, 2011.
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