The esophagus is a muscular tube about 25 centimeters long, connecting the pharynx to the stomach. Spasm of the esophagus (cardiospasm) - a disease for today is not exactly established etiology, in which there is a failure of the peristalsis of the esophagus and the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter. With spasm of the esophagus, reflex relaxation of the esophagus muscles is disturbed during ingestion of food. The lower sphincter of the esophagus does not open or not sufficiently open, and the food sticks in the esophagus, without getting into the stomach.
Symptoms of spasm of the esophagus
The most characteristic symptom that is observed in all patients is dysphagia (violation of swallowing). At the initial stage of the disease, dysphagia manifests itself sporadically. The causes of spasm of the esophagus on the nerves are disturbances. Symptoms also occur with rapid absorption and inadequate chewing food, eating certain foods high in fiber . Unpleasant sensations can often be eliminated by using a lot of fluid, swallowing air, performing gymnastic exercises. With the development of the disease, the symptom becomes permanent, and painful and pressing sensations appear behind the sternum. Over time, pain can be given in the back, neck, jaw.
Another symptom is regurgitation - reverse casting of the contents of the esophagus. It is often observed in a dream or when the patient takes a horizontal position. It can manifest itself in the form of regurgitation, and in the form of food vomiting without an admixture of bile or gastric juice.
Treatment of spasm of the esophagus
Treatment of this disease includes both conservative and surgical methods.
- Diet. To alleviate the symptoms of the disease, food should be divided, 5-6 times a day in small portions. Food should be thoroughly chewed and avoid high-fiber foods. Within two hours after eating, it is not recommended to take a horizontal position. Moreover, it is undesirable even during sleep.
- Drug treatment. With spasm of the esophagus, drug therapy is not sufficiently effective and is rather of an auxiliary nature. This therapy consists of taking calcium receptor blockers, nitroglycerin group preparations, antispasmodics, and sometimes local anesthetics. Also recently, the introduction of an endoscopic needle with botulinum toxin, which reduces the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter, is practiced.
- Artificial enlargement of the cardia. The procedure is carried out with the help of special dilators. This is the most common method of treating this disease. Most often used pneumatic, less often - mechanical devices. Treatment
is that a probe with a special balloon at the end is inserted into the stomach. When he is in the zone of the lower sphincter, the balloon is pumped with air and then removed, thus causing the expansion of the desired part of the esophagus. The method is effective in about 80% of cases. - Surgical intervention. It is carried out if the use of dilatation is ineffective.
- Treatment of spasm of the esophagus by folk remedies. This method, like medical treatment, is of an auxiliary nature and consists of taking tinctures of ginseng , eleutherococcus, altea root, alder cones.