Kim Kardashian has revealed that she was diagnosed with esophagitis, a condition that causes inflammation or irritation of the oesophagus.
The 45-year-old reality television star shared the health update in the official trailer for the eighth season of The Kardashians, released on Thursday.
“I have something called esophagitis,” Kardashian says in the clip.
The diagnosis prompted an emotional discussion about her late father, Robert Kardashian, who died from oesophageal cancer in 2003 at the age of 59.
An off-camera voice asks Kardashian: “Didn’t your father, isn’t it what he died of?”
“Yeah,” she replies.
Her mother, Kris Jenner, is also seen reacting emotionally to the news, saying: “I can’t, it makes me want to cry.”
Although the two conditions affect the same part of the body, esophagitis is not the same as oesophageal cancer.
According to MedlinePlus, an online health resource operated by the US National Library of Medicine, esophagitis occurs when the lining of the oesophagus, the tube carrying food from the mouth to the stomach, becomes swollen or inflamed.
The condition is commonly caused by stomach acid flowing back into the oesophagus, known as acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Other possible causes include certain medicines, infections and allergic or immune responses.
Symptoms can include heartburn, coughing, a sore throat, hoarseness and difficulty or pain when swallowing.
Factors that may increase the risk of developing esophagitis include smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, repeated vomiting and lying down shortly after eating a large meal. Certain tablets can also irritate the oesophagus if taken without enough water.
Most conditions that cause inflammation of the oesophagus respond to treatment, according to MedlinePlus. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may involve medicines to reduce stomach acid, dietary changes or avoiding substances that trigger irritation.
Long-term acid reflux can sometimes lead to Barrett’s oesophagus, a condition in which repeated exposure to stomach acid changes the cells lining the oesophagus. Barrett’s oesophagus is associated with an increased risk of oesophageal cancer, although most people with the condition do not develop cancer.
Kardashian has not disclosed the cause or severity of her esophagitis, or details of the treatment she received. More information about her diagnosis is expected when the new season of The Kardashians premieres on Hulu on October 8.
The Kardashian family helped establish the Robert G Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health at UCLA in 2019, in memory of their father.
Source: Khaleej Times