What is Eosinophilic Esophagitis?
Medical Definition
Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune system disease, and a systemic allergy-mediated disease. It is a It is an inflammatory condition of the esophagus that involves eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, that accumulate and cause inflammation and damage in the esophagus. Severe symptoms include strictures, causing dysphagia and food impaction. EoE is sometimes called “asthma of the esophagus” because of similarities.
Layman's Definition
EoE is a condition where your body has an allergic reaction, usually to food (but possibly inhaled allergens), where the body produces white blood cells called eosinophils that build up in the esophagus and cause it to be inflamed and narrowed over time. The result is an esophagus that can be 5 to 6mm or less in diameter while the normal adult esophagus is 20 to 25mm, making it very difficult to swallow food. EoE is like asthma, but in the esophagus.
The “Bad News” With Eosinophilic Esophagitis
The issue with EoE is that it’s a “new” disease that doctors don’t know much about, especially in treating it. EoE has risen rapidly in recent years, and no one knows why. There are ongoing clinical trials and studies to try to find a true treatment that solves the problem with EoE. To date, nothing has been proven effective enough for most people that suffer with it. This site is dedicated to educating anyone desiring to know all about EoE, how to deal with it, and especially learning how to improve your condition.
The “Good News” With Eosinophilic Esophagitis
The good news is that you don’t have to freak out about what EoE will do to you. Having EoE does not significantly increase your risk of cancer or other scary diseases. Once you are diagnosed you can begin working on controlling it by diet and allergy remediation. You can live a normal live with no significant health effects, other than you might be the slowest eater of anyone you know. 🙂
Symptoms
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis
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Treatment for EoE
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Eosinophilic Esophagitis
EoE Blog
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