The inflammation of the esophagus is medically termed as esophagitis. It is an ill condition that has various causes, the common one being GERD. The abbreviation of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, it is when contents of the stomach, especially bile, and acid, are forced back up into the esophagus due to lack of proper posture, nausea, excessive movements, or eating acidic foods. This causes the esophagus to become irritated and inflamed. Another cause of esophagitis is the impairment of the immune system. Such condition could be caused by diseases such malnutrition, diabetes, or Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV).
An inflamed esophagus is not harmful, and merely uncomfortable to most patients. The common symptoms that you shouldn’t worry about are difficulty in breathing, hoarse voice, and irritation in the throat. But more lethal symptoms could follow if the condition worsens. The dangers include high fever, nausea, coughing up blood, and other cases report that patients become too irritated with the itchiness in their throat that they try to scratch it to the point of drawing blood. Although whether it is a severe infection or a harmless allergic reaction, an inflamed esophagus can be dangerous to some people, especially those with asthma, lung cancer, and others with other recurring diseases.
Before today, an inflamed esophagus would have needed to be treated with antibiotics prescribed by doctors. Most of them would cost a lot, and some people would be able to afford them. But fortunately, over the decades, medicine has evolved, and doctors revisited natural healing and treatment methods buried in the past. These natural treatments for infections and inflammations such as esophagitis were low cost and easily available to everyone. Some of these were even on par with today’s antibiotics in terms of reliability and effectiveness.
Here are various ways to treat an inflammation of the esophagus:
- Drink Lots Of Water – This will ensure that the passage from your mouth to your airway stays clean. The water can also help wash away the germs that remain to infect your esophagus. Furthermore, drinking water can also help you with your hoarse voice, and make sure your body stays hydrated so it has the adequate energy it needs to fight the infection.
- Eat The Right Food – This means that you are recommended to eat the foods that are easy to swallow. If possible, choose the healthiest kind. This includes leafy vegetables, soup, and oats. You may also include cereals and fruits in your meals. But be careful when choosing fruits. Remember that none of them should be acidic. It is also recommended to commit to a healthy diet as well so your body can get the nutrients it needs to better work itself into healing.
- Don’t Smoke – If you already smoke, then try your very best to quit. Smoking worsens the effects of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and one of its common symptoms is the inflammation of the esophagus. If you want to treat esophagitis, then you must first cut off whatever started it in the first place.
- Honey – This is one of the best fighters of infection in the world of natural medicine. Honey and its antibacterial characteristics are almost at par with many antibiotics prescribed by doctors. Simply drop a few measures of honey in a teaspoon and swallow it directly. You may choose to chase it with water so it can be easier to swallow. Take note that the honey best use for curing infections is the Manuka Honey, or otherwise known as Medihoney. This honey is harvested and farmed especially for the use of medicine.
- Gargle Salt and Warm Water – This is one of the most common remedies singers use to clean their throats every morning. So common that some make it their routine every morning or every after mealtimes. For the treatment of the inflammation of the esophagus, gargling salt, and warm water works well in cleaning the throat and clearing hoarse voice. Simply boil a glass of water and add an adequate amount of salt, preferably two teaspoons. The next thing to do would be to wait until the temperature of the water is comfortable enough to drink. After that, gargle the lukewarm water for three to five minutes, then spit. Repeat until you’ve finished the whole glass.
- Proper Posture – This simple statement could mean a lot of complicated things. Simply put, a proper posture is not limited to standing straight. This could include sitting straight, avoiding slouching positions, bending and more. Improper postures are unnatural and could disturb the proper flow of the digestive system. This is one of the most common causes of Gastroesophageal Disease, which in turn causes esophagitis. While having a proper posture does not magically cure esophagitis or GERD, its lessens the symptoms of these two diseases and make them easier to live with while the body work its way into healing.