Esophagitis is a general term for any inflammation, irritation,
or swelling of the esophagus, the tube that leads from the back
of the mouth to the stomach. See also: Esophagitis herpes
Inflammation - esophagus Esophagitis is often caused by fluid
that contains acid flowing back from the stomach to the
esophagus, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux. An
autoimmune disorder called eosinophilic esophagitis also causes
this condition. The following increase your risk of esophagitis:
- Alcohol use - Cigarette smoking - Surgery or radiation to the
chest (for example, treatment for lung cancer) - Taking certain
medications without plenty of water, especially alendronate,
doxycycline, ibandronate, risedronate, tetracycline, and vitamin
C Persons with weakened immune systems due to HIV and certain
medications (such as corticosteroids) may develop infections
that lead to esophagitis. Esophageal infection may be due to
fungi, yeast (especially Candida infections), or viruses such as
herpes or cytomegalovirus. The