Fact 11: Potential for Esophageal Scarring
The esophagus, a muscular tube connecting the mouth to the stomach, plays a crucial role in our digestive process. Every bite we take travels down this passage, making its integrity and functionality indispensable. Maintaining its health is fundamental for comfortable and effective digestion, ensuring that foods and liquids move efficiently into the stomach.
When EoE is left unchecked, chronic inflammation results, bringing about structural changes in the esophageal tissue. This isn’t a mere nuisance. The esophagus isn’t just a passive channel; it’s an active participant in digestion, with muscles contracting in coordinated waves to move food downward. Persistent inflammation can disrupt this harmonious movement, posing potential challenges.
As the inflammation continues, scar tissue forms—a body’s natural response to injury. But, in the esophagus, this isn’t beneficial. Scar tissue lacks the flexibility of natural esophageal tissue, making it less elastic. Over time, this can narrow the esophagus, leading to a condition known as esophageal stricture. This narrowing makes swallowing increasingly difficult and can even lead to food getting stuck, a condition medically termed as “food bolus obstruction.”
While EoE has an array of symptoms, some are particularly indicative of scarring. Individuals might experience pain or discomfort when swallowing, termed dysphagia. Some might even start avoiding certain foods, especially dry or coarse ones, out of fear of them getting stuck. Recognizing these symptoms early can prompt timely intervention, potentially averting severe complications.
Esophageal scarring sounds daunting, but medical advances have provided tools to manage and sometimes even reverse this condition. Endoscopic dilation is a procedure where a specialized instrument gently stretches the narrowed part of the esophagus, alleviating symptoms. However, this isn’t a cure, making proactive management of EoE critical to prevent the onset of scarring in the first place. (11)
