Is Ginger Tea Good For Esophagitis?

Esophagitis is a painful health problem that occurs when your esophagus becomes inflamed. The leading cause of esophagitis, notes the Better Medicine website, is acid reflux, although other factors may boost your risk for this problem, including obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, vomiting and hiatal hernia. Before using ginger tea or other herbal teas to help treat your esophagitis, review all relevant herb-related topics with your primary care provider.

Esophagitis

Esophagitis may cause several common signs or symptoms, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center, including heartburn, painful swallowing and problems with swallowing. This condition may also cause voice hoarseness. Esophagitis signs and symptoms vary in severity and can occur daily or only after consuming certain foods. Certain medications -- tetracycline, ibuprofin, aspirin -- may increase your chances of developing this health problem, as can vitamin C supplements and conditions such as HIV that lower your immune system health and function.

Ginger

The ginger plant, also known as Zingiber officinale, possesses thick and tuberous rhizomes, or underground stems. This plant can grow to a height of about 4 feet. The plant's rhizome is used in medicine and cooking, and it has a spicy and pungent flavor. Ginger plants that grow in the wild bear beautiful flowers, although cultivated ginger plants rarely flower. Ginger is indigenous to southern Asia, although it is extensively cultivated throughout parts of Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

Ginger Tea Benefits

Ginger is commonly consumed in tea form. Ginger tea has been used in treating numerous health problems. According to Phyllis A. Balch, a certified nutritional consultant and author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," this herbal remedy may help reduce inflammation in your body, stimulate your circulation, speed the healing of damaged tissues, and help treat indigestion and vomiting. Ginger tea may also serve as a helpful antimicrobial agent for wounds and sores. To make a ginger infusion, add 1 teaspoon of dried ginger per cup of boiling water and let steep.

Warning

Esophagitis, if not treated in a timely and proper manner, may lead to unwanted health complications, including reduced diameter of your esophagus, formation of abnormal tissue rings in your esophageal lining and a condition called Barrett's esophagus that increases your risk for esophageal cancer. Herbal remedies may be helpful in treating your esophagitis, but the use of herbs alone does not guarantee a cure for this health problem. Avoid using herbal teas in place of more conventional treatment measures suggested by your doctor.