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Doctors Discover More People Developing Food Allergies That Present Like Asthma

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – If you're having a tough time swallowing that chicken dinner, it may not be the cooking but could be an allergy.

Dr. Brian Berberian, a gastroenterologist at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden calls it asthma of the esophagus.

"Patients present with food sticking, if I have a piece of chicken or meat. I've seen a lot of cases or even pasta for that matter and it just causes a little bit of inflammation in the esophagus and after some time it causes structuring or narrowing and that causes problems for the food to pass through."

It's actually called Eosinophillic Esophagitis and he says it's becoming more common as doctors are more aware.

He says the cause is unknown, although he suspects food preservatives may be to blame and the course of treatment at an allergist is steroids or asthma medicine.

Reported By Lynne Adkins, KYW Newsradio

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