The esophagus is the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach. Achalasia is a serious condition that affects your esophagus. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a muscular ring that closes off the esophagus from the stomach. If you have achalasia, your LES fails to open up during swallowing, which itâs supposed to do. This leads to a backup of food within your esophagus. This condition can be related to damaged nerves in your esophagus. It can also be due to damage of the LES. The causes are genetic, autoimmune, cancer of the esophagus and a rare parasitic infection called Chagasâ disease. Symptoms are:
- Difficulty in swallowing
- pain or discomfort over the chest
- weight loss
- heart burn
- intense pain or discomfort after eating
It can be diagnosed by eosophageal manometery, X-Ray(barium swallow), endoscopy, etc. It can be corrected by surgery. If you believe your daughter has this problem, I would advise you to meet a gastrosurgeon to confirm this diagnosis and explain your treatment options.
Answered2018-09-11 11:28:54
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