Eosinophilic Disorders

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell. They help fight off infections and play a role in your body's immune response. They can also build up and cause inflammation.

Normally your blood doesn't have a large number of eosinophils. Your body may produce more of them in response to:

• Allergic disorders
• Skin conditions
• Parasitic and fungal infections
• Autoimmune diseases
• Some cancers
• Bone marrow disorders

In some conditions, the eosinophils can move outside the bloodstream and build up in organs and tissues. This can happen in many different parts of the body, including the esophagus, heart, lungs, blood, and intestines. Treatment of eosinophilic disorders can vary, depending on the cause and which part of the body is affected. Steroids are often part of the treatment.

Esophagus Disorders

What are esophagus disorders?

Esophagus disorders are problems with how your esophagus works. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. You usually don't notice it unless you swallow something too big, hot, or cold. You might also notice it if something is wrong. When that happens, you might feel pain or have trouble swallowing (dysphagia).

What causes esophagus disorders?

The cause depends on the type of disorder. Some run in families. Others are linked to allergic reactions to food or substances in your environment. Sometimes, the cause is unknown.

You may be more likely to develop an esophagus disorder if you:

• Are overweight or have obesity
• Are pregnant
• Take certain medicines
• Have had radiation treatmentt to your neck or chest
• Smoke or are around secondhand smoke

What are common esophagus disorders?

The most common esophagus problem is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This happens when the muscle at the bottom of your esophagus doesn't close properly. Stomach acid can move back up and irritate the esophagus.

Other esophagus disorders include:

• Heartburn is a burning feeling in your chest or throat. It is often caused by acid reflux.
• Barrett's Esophagus happens when the lining of your esophagus changes. It is often caused by chronic (long-term) GERD.
• Achalasia is a problem where the lower muscle in your esophagus doesn't relax like it should.
• Esophageal Spasms are muscle contractions that cause chest pain or swallowing problems.
• Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) is a rare condition where certain white blood cells (eosinophils) build up in the esophagus, causing swelling, pain, and trouble swallowing.
• Esophageal Cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the tissues of the esophagus.

What are symptoms of esophagus disorders?

Symptoms can be different for each condition but may include:

• Pain in your chest, abdomen (belly), or back
• A cough or sore throat that doesn't go away
• Trouble swallowing or feeling like food is stuck
• A hoarse voice or wheezing
• Heartburn or a burning feeling in your stomach
• Tasting acid or food in the back of your mouth
• Food or liquid coming back up into your mouth (regurgitation)
• Losing weight without trying

Get medical help right away if you have chest pain with shortness of breath, or pain in your jaw or arm. These could be signs of a heart problem.

How are esophagus disorders diagnosed?

Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. They may order one or more tests, such as:

• Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. This test uses a tiny camera to look inside your esophagus and stomach.
• Biopsy. This test takes a small tissue sample to check.
• Barium swallow. This test uses imaging to see how you swallow.
• Esophageal manometry. This test checks how well your esophagus moves food to your stomach.
• Esophageal pH test. This test measures how often acid backs up into your esophagus and how long the acid stays there.

How are esophagus disorders treated?

Treatment depends on what's causing the problem and your overall health. Some esophagus disorders get better with over-the-counter medicines, diet changes, or lifestyle changes. Others may need prescription medicine or surgery.

Without treatment, some disorders may lead to other problems, such as pneumonia, from food entering the windpipe. GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and achalasia can also raise your risk for esophageal cancer.

Can esophagus disorders be prevented?

You can help prevent or reduce symptoms by:

• Not smoking and limiting alcohol
• Eating smaller meals
• Avoiding eating close to bedtime
• Wearing loose-fitting clothes
• Sleeping on your left side or raising the head of your bed
• Maintaining a healthy weight

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Flu

What is the flu?

The flu, also called influenza, is a respiratory infection caused by viruses. Each year, millions of Americans get sick with the flu. Sometimes it causes mild illness. But it can also be serious or even deadly, especially for people over 65, newborn babies, and people with certain chronic illnesses.

What causes the flu?

The flu is caused by flu viruses that spread from person to person. When someone with the flu coughs, sneezes, or talks, they spray tiny droplets. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person may get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.

What are the symptoms of the flu?

Symptoms of the flu come on suddenly and may include:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)

Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. This is more common in children.

Sometimes people have trouble figuring out whether they have a cold or the flu. There are differences between them:

Signs and SymptomsColdFluStart of symptomsSlowlySuddenlyFeverRarelyUsuallyAchesSometimes (slight)UsuallyFatigue, weaknessSometimesUsuallyHeadacheRarelyCommonStuffy nose, sneezing, or sore throatCommonSometimes

Sometimes people say that they have a "flu" when they really have something else. For example, "stomach flu" isn't the flu; it's gastroenteritis.

What other problems can the flu cause?

Some people who get the flu will develop complications. Some of these complications can be serious or even life-threatening. They include:

• Bronchitis
• Ear infection
• Sinus infection
• Pneumonia
• Inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), brain (encephalitis), or muscle tissues (myositis, rhabdomyolysis)

The flu also can make chronic health problems worse. For example, people with asthma may have asthma attacks while they have flu.

Certain people are more likely to have complications from the flu, including:

• Adults 65 and older
• Pregnant women
• Children younger than 5
• People with certain chronic health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease

How is the flu diagnosed?

To diagnose the flu, health care providers will first do a medical history and ask about your symptoms. There are several tests for the flu. For the tests, your provider will swipe the inside of your nose or the back of your throat with a swab. Then the swab will be tested for the flu virus.

Some tests are quick and give results in 15-20 minutes. But these tests are not as accurate as other flu tests. These other tests can give you the results in one hour or several hours.

What are the treatments for the flu?

Most people with the flu recover on their own without medical care. People with mild cases of the flu should stay home and avoid contact with others, except to get medical care.

But if you have symptoms of flu and are in a high risk group or are very sick or worried about your illness, contact your health care provider. You might need antiviral medicines to treat your flu. Antiviral medicines can make the illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They also can prevent serious flu complications. They usually work best when you start taking them within 2 days of getting sick.

Can the flu be prevented?

The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine every year. But it's also important to have good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands often. This can help stop the spread of germs and prevent the flu.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Haemophilus Infections

Haemophilus is the name of a group of bacteria. There are several types of Haemophilus. They can cause different types of illnesses involving breathing, bones and joints, and the nervous system.

One common type, Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), causes serious disease. It usually strikes children under 5 years old. Your child can get Hib disease by being around other children or adults who may have the bacteria and not know it. The germs spread from person to person. If the germs stay in the child's nose and throat, the child probably will not get sick. But sometimes the germs spread into the lungs or the bloodstream, and then Hib can cause serious problems such as meningitis and pneumonia.

Treatment is with antibiotics. There is a vaccine to prevent Hib disease. All children younger than 5 years of age should be vaccinated with the Hib vaccine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Homelessness and Health

What are the causes of homelessness?

Each night, hundreds of thousands of people experience homelessness in the United States. Some of these people experience chronic homelessness, while others have temporarily lost their shelter. The reasons why they are homelessness are complex. They can include a combination of factors such as:

• Poverty
• Unemployment
• Lack of affordable housing
• Mental and substance use disorders
• Trauma and violence
• Intimate partner violence
• Justice-system involvement
• Sudden serious illness
• Divorce
• Death of a partner or parent
• Disabilities

What is the link between homelessness and health?

Poor health can contribute to homelessness. And being homeless can contribute to poor health. Many of the problems that people experiencing homelessness face can make their health worse, including:

• Limited access to health care
• Problems getting enough food
• Trouble staying safe
• Violence
• Stress
• Unsanitary living conditions
• Exposure to severe weather

What are some of the common health problems that people experiencing homelessness have?

Some of the common health problems that people experiencing homelessness may have include:

• HIV
• Lung diseases, including bronchitis, tuberculosis, and pneumonia
• Malnutrition
• Mental health problems
• Substance use problems
• Wounds and skin infections

Many people experiencing homelessness are dealing with trauma. They may have been abused or assaulted. This includes children, who are at risk for emotional and behavioral problems.

Contact your local homelessness assistance agency to get the help you need, such as access to shelters, health centers, and free meals.