Eosinphilic esophagitis affects an increasing number of individuals each year in all age groups. The exact cause is under intensive study, but many doctors and researchers theorize it is associated with a specific protein found in a variety of foods. Following a specified diet can often lead to the disappearance of the condition and allow sufferers to return to a near normal lifestyle.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Eosinphilic esophagitis is a condition in which the esophagus becomes inflamed and the walls are invaded by a large number of white blood cells known as eosinphils. This occurs because the body has activated an immune response to a food to which the body is allergic. Scientists are still uncertain about the exact allergen that causes this response, and a variety of foods may be responsible for irritating the condition of each individual patient.
Diet Treatment
Your doctor can perform a series of tests to help determine the foods that exacerbate your allergy, although these tests do not always pinpoint a particular food. Your doctor may prescribe as elimination diet in which you eliminate foods that have an increased association with eosinphilic esophagitis. These commonly include eggs, milk, soy, wheat, peanuts and seafood. You then consume a liquid diet containing predigested foods that do not contain the proteins associated with this allergic condition. Slowly you add the eliminated foods back into your diet one at a time until your doctor can determine which one irritates your condition.
The Benefits of Diet Treatment
Ridding your diet of a large number of foods can be difficult, although strictly adhering to the diet plan in order to discover which foods irritate the condition can be the key to a cure. Most children and many adults who determine and eliminate the specific foods that exacerbate their condition may resume a near-normal diet and completely eliminate the need for medication.
Other Treatments
Allergy testing and diet treatments are the best way to treat and reduce or eliminate the primary cause of eosinphilic esophagitis, but the process is difficult. Your doctor might also prescribe medications to reduce inflammation and inhibit other symptoms associated with this condition such as acid reflux. Some medications include Nexium, steroid inhalers, oral steroids and immunosuppressant drugs.
References
- "Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology"; Treatment of Eosinophilic Esophagitis with Specific Food Elimination Diet Directed by a Combination of Skin Prick and patch tests; J.M. Spergel, et al.; Ocotber 2005
- Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroeneterology; Eosinphlic Esophagitis; F.W. Jackson, M.D.; 2008
- Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy; L.K. Mahan, S. Escott-Stump; 2008
