Achalasia
Wednesday, November 15, 2006Trouble swallowing, chest pain and heartburn could be indicators that you are suffering from achalasia (A-cal-asia). Dr. Ken Davis describes this condition and how it can be treated in today’s 60 Second Housecall.
Achalasia affects the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Achalasia means “failure to relax.” The esophageal sphincter muscles remain contracted, preventing food from entering the stomach.
Achalasia is caused by degeneration of the nerve cells that normally signal the brain to relax the esophageal sphincter.
Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is the most common symptom of achalasia. The person with achalasia usually has trouble swallowing both liquid and solid foods. They often feel that food “gets stuck” on the way down. Other symptoms include chest pain, heartburn and difficulty belching. Some patients have nighttime cough or recurrent pneumonia from reflux of food into the lungs.
The most common treatment for achalasia is balloon dilation. In this procedure, an inflatable membrane or balloon is passed down the esophagus to the sphincter and inflated to force the sphincter open. Dilation is effective in about 70 percent of patients.
For North Mississippi Medical Center, I’m Dr. Ken Davis.