Title: How Scleroderma Affects the Esophagus: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
Headings: How Does Scleroderma Affect the Esophagus? The Red Flags to Be Aware Of
How Does Scleroderma Affect the Esophagus? The Red Flags to Be Aware Of
Some 90 percent of patients with systemic sclerosis have gastrointestinal symptoms, and the esophagus is predominantly affected.
How Scleroderma Affects the Esophagus
Symptoms of Scleroderma in the Esophagus
How Esophageal Scleroderma Is Diagnosed
Upper endoscopy
Esophageal manometry
Barium esophagram
Esophageal pH testing
Complications and Risks from Scleroderma in the Esophagus
Barrett’s Esophagus
Aspiration and Lung Issues
Esophageal Strictures
Treating Scleroderma in the Esophagus
Lifestyle Changes
Medication for Reflux
Medication for Slow Digestion
Surgery and Procedures for Esophageal Scleroderma
Get Involved in Scleroderma Research
Keep Reading
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Content: The esophagus — the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach, carrying food and liquids to be digested — is the most commonly affected part of the GI tract in systemic sclerosis. This is sometimes referred to as esophageal scleroderma. Here, learn more about what causes esophageal scleroderma, symptoms to watch for, and how it is treated and managed. How Scleroderma Affects the Esophagus
The same scarring and thickening that causes outward skin changes can also affect smooth muscle tissue in organs throughout the body. In the GI tract, scleroderma can affect the smooth muscle of the esophagus, damaging healthy tissue and replacing it with scar tissue. Scleroderma causes strictures, or narrowing, of the esophagus and makes the muscle tissue weaker. This can cause what doctors refer to as “motility disturbance” — or trouble with food and liquid being able to travel down the esophagus. This leads to two main issues that affect patients’ quality of life: Food travels more slowly, which can make swallowing difficult and make people feel full and bloated
The sphincter muscle between the esophagus and the stomach (which helps prevent food from traveling backward into the esophagus after it has entered the stomach) doesn’t close fully, causing gastroesophageal reflux, also called acid reflux or heartburn
“Esophageal involvement in scleroderma is incredibly common, but some of that depends on how it is defined and how aggressively it is searched for,” says Robert Spiera, MD, rheumatologist and director of the Vasculitis and Scleroderma Program at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. While scleroderma and systemic sclerosis are usually treated by a rheumatologist, people who have worsening GI involvement usually need additional treatment from a gastroenterologist.