Title: Achalasia and Esophageal Motility Disorders | The Patient Guide to Heart, Lung, and Esophageal Surgery
Headings: Achalasia and Esophageal Motility Disorders
Achalasia and Esophageal Motility Disorders
The esophagus (ĕ-sof´ah-gus) is the hollow, muscular tube that moves food and liquid from your mouth to your stomach. If the muscles in your esophagus don’t squeeze properly, it will be harder for the food and liquids to reach your stomach. This condition is known as an esophageal motility disorder. Esophageal motility disorders make it difficult for you to swallow, cause food to come back up into your mouth, and sometime cause chest pain.
Causes of Achalasia
Symptoms of Achalasia
Left untreated, achalasia can cause considerable weight loss, lung infections, and pneumonia.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Esophageal Dilation
Botox
Heller Myotomy
Per-oral Esophageal Myotomy (POEM)
Esophagectomy
It is important to remember that no treatment will cure achalasia, but all forms of treatment will help manage symptoms.
Recovery

Content: Some researchers think it may be linked to a virus. Recent studies have indicated that achalasia may be caused by an immune disorder in which the patient’s own immune system attacks the nervous system within the muscles of the esophagus, causing them to malfunction. Achalasia doesn’t affect any particular race or ethnic group, and the condition does not run in families. Esophageal motility disorders develop slowly and worsen over time. If you experience only a brief episode of symptoms, you probably don’t have a true esophageal motility disorder. Symptoms of Achalasia
Symptoms of Achalasia
Dysphagia
Difficulty swallowing
Reflux
Backing up of stomach acids that may taste sour or bitter
Pressure in the chest after eating
Pressure or pain in your chest that is often worse after eating
Patients with achalasia are sometimes initially treated for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) before being diagnosed with achalasia on further testing. Symptoms of achalasia include: Difficulty swallowing
Pressure in the chest after eating
Backing up of undigested food and fluid (regurgitation) sometimes hours after eating
Coughing or choking on food
Bad breath
The symptoms can worsen with certain foods (such as meat, bread, and rice), certain liquids (such as carbonated beverages), and eating too close to bedtime. If you are having continuous problems with eating and drinking liquids, you can print these sample questions to use as a basis for discussion with your doctor. Left untreated, achalasia can cause considerable weight loss, lung infections, and pneumonia.