Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) toolkit

EoE affects people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. The condition is estimated to occur in 1 out of 1,700 people.

Symptoms of EoE are not the same from one person to the next. Some common symptoms for adults include trouble swallowing, heartburn, upset stomach or vomiting.

Finding out you have EoE can only be done by an endoscopy and taking small tissue samples of the esophagus (the tube that links your mouth and stomach).

The three main choices to care for your eosinophilic esophagitis are changes to your diet, using certain medications, and esophageal dilation. 

Along with your GI doctor, you also need to see an allergist and expert registered dietitian (RD) for this condition. Your GI doctor, allergist and RD will talk with you about which choices are best for your case. Learn more about treatment options. 

There are a few diet options that may help you care for your EoE, including targeted elimination diet, six-food elimination diet, elemental diet and food trials. Learn more.

Some doctors have found these drugs help treat or ease the pain of EoE in certain patients:

• Biologic medicine — A new type of medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat EoE. Dupilumab is given as an injection and targets certain allergic factors to help stop inflammation. Your doctor can let you know if this medicine is right for you.
• Topical steroids — These are swallowed from an asthma inhaler or a mixture to control EoE.
• Acid suppressors — These may help ease reflux symptoms in some patients in combination with dietary therapy or drugs.
• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) — These are most often used for reflux, but can be helpful in EoE.