Quality Treatment Information for Esophageal Candidiasis
Also known as esophageal thrush, esophageal candidiasis is a fungal infection of the throat. It can also be referred to as the oral candidiasis. Commonly caused by the Candida albicans fungus, the infection could be caused by other species of the yeast.
Development of the infection
On a normal case, there is a small number of the Candida fungus found on the skin surface as well as within the body. The body immune system is known to control the various microorganisms living within the body. However, there could be a shift in the balance of these microorganisms. This causes the yeast to overgrow thus overwhelming the immune system. As a result, this could develop into an infection.
Note: for people with a healthy body defense mechanism, the infections are quite unlikely. Those with a compromised immune system- such as those with cancer or HIV/AIDS- and the elderly are at a higher risk of contracting the infections.
Esophageal candidiasis is also likely to develop in people with diabetes mellitus due to the excess sugars in the saliva- sugar allows fungus to thrive.
Worth understanding is the fact that an infected mother during delivery could pass the infection to the baby if the birth was vaginal. Infants could also contract esophageal thrush through breastfeeding in cases the mother’s nipples are infected.
What are the risk factors?
Anyone at any age could contract esophageal candidiasis. However, the risk of developing the infection increases with certain conditions such as:
- Having dry mouth
- Smoking
- Poor eating habits like taking sugary foods
- Wearing partials or dentures
- Chronic diseases
- Weak immune systems
- In case you are using certain medications like antibiotics
Symptoms
Esophageal candidiasis presents in a number of ways but it is easy to understand the signs of the fungal infection. Common signs and symptoms of the infection include:
- Weight loss
- Chest pains
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Having pain or difficulties while swallowing
- Mouth dryness
- Cottage cheese-like lesions
- Slight bleeding on a scraped lesion
- Esophageal lining (throat lining) having some white lesions
- Having pain in the esophagus and mouth
Note: if the thrush spreads into the mouth, this becomes oral thrush. The following symptoms could be experienced in such a case:
- Corner of the mouth cracking
- White lesions forming on the roof of your mouth, gums and tonsils
- Creamy white patches forming inside the cheeks
Diagnosis and treatment
Visit your healthcare provider as soon as you begin experiencing any of the above symptoms. Diagnosis involves performing an endoscopic examination and a throat culture.
Throat culture checks on the existence of any fungus or bacteria in the esophagus. A cotton swab can be swiped on the throat can be examined to establish any abnormalities in the esophagus.
An endoscopic exam involves looking at the throat through an endoscope so as to check for any fungal infections and the extent of the infections.
Treatment is aimed at killing the fungus and preventing the infections from further spreading. Medication depends on one’s health and the severity of the fungal infections.
For healthy adults- your doctor could advise you to take some yoghurt for restoration of the natural balance so as to fight the infections.
For adults with weak immune system- the doctor will prescribe an antifungal dosage such as itraconazole. This medication prevents further fungal spreading and also kills the fungus from the body.
Fluconzole antifungal doses could be prescribed if the infections are a little more severe. The medications are effective for esophageal thrush treatment.
You can now buy quality diflucan antifungal medications from Kiwi Drug online doctor for the ultimate esophageal candidiasis treatment- you only require the initial doctor’s Rx!