Yeast Infections—Esophagus Disorders

The esophagus is the muscular tube that carries food, and liquids from your mouth to the stomach. You may not be aware of your esophagus until you swallow something too large, too hot, or too cold. You may also notice it when something is wrong. You may feel pain or have trouble swallowing.

The most common problem with the esophagus is GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). With GERD, a muscle at the end of your esophagus does not close properly. This allows stomach contents to leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus and irritate it. Over time, GERD can cause damage to the esophagus.

Other problems include heartburn, cancer, and esophagitis. Doctors may use various tests to make a diagnosis. These include imaging tests, an upper endoscopy, and a biopsy.

Treatment depends on the problem. Some problems get better with over-the-counter medicines or changes in diet. Others may need prescription medicines or surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

• Achalasia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Barrett esophagus (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Bleeding esophageal varices (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Diet and eating after esophagectomy (Medical Encyclopedia)
• EGD discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Esophageal atresia (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Esophageal manometry (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Esophageal perforation (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Esophageal spasm (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Esophageal stricture – benign (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Esophagitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Esophagitis – infectious (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Lower esophageal ring (Schatzki) (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Mallory-Weiss tear (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Swallowing problems (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Tracheoesophageal fistula and esophageal atresia repair (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Upper GI and small bowel series (Medical Encyclopedia)

Also called: Candidiasis, Moniliasis

Candida is the scientific name for yeast. It is a fungus that lives almost everywhere, including in your body. Usually, your immune system keeps yeast under control. If you are sick or taking antibiotics, it can multiply and cause an infection.

Yeast infections affect different parts of the body in different ways:

• Thrush is a yeast infection that causes white patches in your mouth
• Candida esophagitis is thrush that spreads to your esophagus, the tube that takes food from your mouth to your stomach. It can make it hard or painful to swallow.
• Women can get vaginal yeast infections, causing vaginitis
• Yeast infections of the skin cause itching and rashes
• Yeast infections in your bloodstream can be life-threatening

Antifungal medicines get rid of yeast infections in most people. If you have a weak immune system, treatment might be more difficult.

• Candida infection of the skin (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Thrush (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Vaginal yeast infection (Medical Encyclopedia)