What exactly is Eosinophilic Esophagitis?
Doctors and scientists are still trying to fully understand the exact causes of EoE, but they know that it is linked to allergies, especially food allergies. It is known that people who already have allergies that cause conditions like asthma, hay fever or eczema are more likely to get EoE.
The link between conditions like allergies and EoE is provided by the immune system, where small immune cells move into tissues to help guard against infection. This happens even though the food that is eaten, the air that is breathed, is not harmful. The inflammation is not appropriate for the situation!
In EoE, white blood cells called eosinophils take part in inflammation, move into the lining of the esophagus, and cause discomfort and aggravation. Inflamed tissues can cause several different symptoms depending on the age of the patient and how long the esophagus has been inflamed.
References
- American College of Gastroenterology. Eosinophilic esophagitis. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://gi.org/topics/eosinophilic-esophagitis/
- National Organization of Rare Disorders. Eosinophilic esophagitis. Accessed August 18, 2022. https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/eosinophilic-esophagitis/