What are the symptoms of food poisoning?

Esophagitis is a relatively common disease, and there are many symptoms that cause esophagitis. The most common one is a burning sensation, which leads to esophageal reflux and gastric reflux. Patients often have difficulty swallowing, causing swallowing pain and other symptoms. This is a great threat to the health of the body and may even induce more serious situations. Therefore, it is necessary to treat it in time and pay attention to dietary conditioning.

What are the symptoms of food poisoning?

1. Burning sensation behind the sternum

Or pain is the main symptom of this disease. Depending on the distribution of the vagus nerve, it may sometimes radiate to the neck, palate, or ears. The most common is radiation to the shoulder blades on both sides of the back. The burning sensation can be relieved by drinking water or taking antacids or sugary cubes to stimulate saliva secretion and primary esophageal peristalsis. It is most likely to occur after eating certain spicy foods. It can be caused by bending over, exerting force or lying flat, and it is alleviated when standing upright. This is because walking in an upright posture (picture compiled by teacher) promotes the clearance of the esophagus. Increased postural burning pain is highly suggestive of reflux. For those who lack gastric acid, the burning sensation is mainly caused by bile reflux, so taking antacids will have no effect. The severity of the burning sensation does not necessarily correspond to the severity of the lesion. In severe esophagitis, especially in those with scarring, there may be no or only a mild burning sensation.

2. Gastric and esophageal reflux

After every meal, when lying forward, or sleeping in bed at night, acidic liquid or food refluxes from the stomach and esophagus into the pharynx or mouth. This symptom often appears before the burning sensation or burning pain behind the sternum.

3. Pain when swallowing.

It may be caused by a food bolus irritating an inflamed esophagus or by esophageal spasm. The crampy pain has the same distribution and radiation as heartburn. The food bolus causes acute expansion of the esophagus in the area of ​​esophagitis and some areas of stenosis or uncoordinated motor function, resulting in a third contraction or spasm. The patient may feel that the food or liquid is stagnant above the esophagus and has to wait for the food bolus to move down or drink water to wash it down. The dilated esophagus above the bolus stagnation can cause very severe pain. Cramp-like pain may also be caused by reflux.

4. Difficulty swallowing.

In the early stages, intermittent dysphagia may often occur due to secondary esophageal spasm caused by esophagitis. In the later stage, due to the formation of esophageal scarring and stricture, the burning sensation and burning pain gradually decrease and are replaced by permanent dysphagia. Eating solid food may cause a feeling of blockage or pain in the xiphoid process.

5. Nausea.

The backflow of stomach acid or bile into the back wall of the mouth indicates gastroesophageal reflux. The gastric contents can be vomited or swallowed, leaving a sour or bitter taste in the throat and mouth, causing bad breath or taste damage. Chronically irritated lips may have a burning sensation. Regurgitation may occur after eating, exertion, or a change in body position. It is often accompanied by gastrointestinal flatulence and hiccups. Nocturnal reflux can also cause coughing, aspiration pneumonia, or choking.

6. Bleeding and anemia

Severe esophagitis may cause erosion of the esophageal mucosa and bleeding, which is usually chronic and small-scale bleeding. Prolonged or heavy bleeding can lead to iron deficiency anemia.

In addition to these symptoms, there are also symptoms of reflux esophagitis: reflux enters the throat through the cricopharyngeal sphincter, which can cause aspiration of the larynx and trachea, inflammatory vocal cord polyps, and easily trigger asthma in susceptible patients. Diffuse esophagitis or invasive ulcers may cause vomiting blood and chronic blood loss. A few penetrating ulcers may cause esophageal perforation.