What Is Eosinophilic Esophagitis And How Does It Relate To Food Allergies?

Question: What is eosinophilic esophagitis and how does it relate to food allergies?

Answer: Eosinophilic esophagitis is a constellation of symptoms that are related to swelling of the esophagus. They are related to food allergy in that we think that certain foods -- like milk and egg and soy and wheat -- will exacerbate or make the symptoms worse. The swelling in the esophagus causes the child or adult to have the inability to swallow the food easily. Also, it causes vomiting, sometimes severe abdominal pain and then diarrhea later, again, depending on the significance of the symptoms.

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