Title: Disorders of the Esophagus - About GI Motility
Headings: Disorders of the Esophagus
Disorders of the Esophagus
Dysphagia
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Content: Sometimes this occurs when the muscles of the tongue and neck that push the food into the esophagus are not working properly because of a stroke or a disease affecting the nerves or muscles. However, food can also stick because the lower esophageal sphincter does not relax to let the food into the stomach (a disorder called achalasia – see below), or because the esophagus contracts in an uncoordinated way (a disorder called esophageal spasm). Dysphagia can cause food to back up in the esophagus. Symptoms may include: Vomiting
A sensation of something getting stuck
A sensation of pain
Achalasia
This condition is diagnosed when there is a complete lack of peristalsis within the body of the esophagus. In addition, the lower esophageal sphincter does not relax to allow food to enter the stomach. Most people with achalasia have symptoms for years prior to seeing a physician that may include: Difficulty swallowing both liquids and solids
Regurgitation
Vomiting
Weight loss
Atypical chest discomfort
Read More about Achalasia
Functional chest pain
Sometimes individuals have pain in their chest that is not like heartburn (no burning quality) and that may be confused with pain from the heart. Particularly if you are over 50 years of age, your doctor will always want to first find out if there is anything wrong with your heart, but in many cases the heart turns out to be healthy. In many people with this kind of pain and no heart disease, the pain comes from spastic contractions of the esophagus, or increased sensitivity of the nerves in the esophagus, or a combination of muscle spasm and increased sensitivity.