Often, in our hectic life, full of stress and wrong, both in terms of nutrition, water consumption, and in terms of physical activity and the environment in which we live, people tend not to pay attention to slight malaise, nausea, heartburn. But this is how a dangerous disease manifests itself - distal reflux esophagitis. In order to understand how important it is to timely treat it and call a doctor, and this article is written.
First of all, we'll deal with the terms. The esophagus is conditionally divided into three sections, one of which, the lower one, is called the distal one. The disease itself is an inflammation of esophagitis, and distal esophagitis is an inflammation of the lower third of the esophagus, separated from the stomach by the sphincter, while the incidence of cardia is characteristic, that is, the weakening of the sphincter. The causes of the disease can be:
- too hot, or too cold food;
- alcoholic beverages;
- spicy dishes;
- harmful substances when ingested;
- long-term use of drugs;
- infectious diseases.
As a result of digestive disorders or overfilling of the stomach, if there is a failure of the cardia, there are discharges of stomach contents into the distal part of the esophagus, which adversely affects its mucosa. The process of releasing the food mass with gastric juice into the esophagus is called reflux. When the disease is in 1 degree, it is enough to exclude harmful products that irritate the mucous membrane and reduce portions so that the inflammation stops.
Thus, distal reflux esophagitis is an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the lower part of the esophagus, associated with the ejection of food from the stomach and duodenal fluid with a deficiency of cardia, which irritate and corrode its mucosa.2 degree of disease characterized by the appearance of erosion. And this is already fraught with deterioration of well-being and bad consequences if you do not take seriously the examination and treatment.
Acute and chronic distal esophagitis
Distal reflux esophagitis develops gradually. Accordingly, different degrees of this disease are distinguished. From the stage in which the disease is located, treatment is also prescribed. Of course, 1 and 2 degrees - these are the stages on which it is not difficult to stop the developing pathological processes.
- 1 degree of mucosal flaccidity on the transition to the stomach;lesions of the distal part are focal and indistinct, the smoothness of the folds is not particularly noticeable;
- on 2 degrees of distal reflux esophagitis defects appear erosive( single or in large numbers), they are located on the folds of the mucosa;
- for the 3rd and 4th stages, fusion of erosion, the appearance of necrotic tissue is characteristic. It is fraught with a lethal outcome, if not operated, or the formation of a malignant tumor. Of course, the treatment of distal reflux esophagitis should be started as early as possible, until the lesions of the mucosa, and then the muscles, are turned, turning them into a necrotic tissue. If you do not resort to examination and therapy, when the symptoms of this disease have just appeared, then it can easily go into a chronic form. But you should know that the chronic form occurs not only because of the neglect of the disease, but also because of some of the reasons that caused it, including the lack of cardia.
Symptoms of distal reflux esophagitis
If you briefly talk about the causes of esophagus in undigested food, people with obesity who are stressed and who have bad habits( smoking, drinking alcohol) are at risk, and also a big role for the development of 1 degree of distalreflux-esophagitis plays a diet and a way of life. It is often susceptible to pregnant women, as well as patients who take careless drugs.
As for the symptoms, there is heartburn and belching after eating, there is pain behind the sternum. This pain can be given to the scapula and neck.2nd degree is weighed down by vomiting and more frequent nausea, it is difficult to swallow and there is pain in the sternum, weakness. Thus the person becomes. In the horizontal position, the symptoms intensify.
Diagnosis and treatment of distal reflux esophagitis
Treatment of reflux esophagitis can not be started by any means. It is possible to do much more harm, to provoke the development of a chronic stage or irreversible processes, up to the formation of cancer cells and death. Be sure to consult a doctor. Self-medication is strictly prohibited in the presence of such symptoms. To make an accurate diagnosis, tests are taken, an x-ray of the esophagus is made and endoscopy is performed. Only after all this is prescribed therapy.
The initial stage of the disease, of course, is amenable to treatment much easier, and therefore it is said about the timely appeal to specialists. In this case, you can only change the diet, apply a diet and the inflammation will pass.2 degree - this is closer to the fact that the distal reflux esophagitis will pass into a chronic form, and then the medications are already connected. They should help reduce the acidity of the stomach, its timely emptying. If there is overweight, obesity, then you need to do weight reduction. Sleep should be on a high pillow, so as not to cause a lack of cardia spontaneous release of masses from the stomach into the esophagus.