Do I Have Achalasia?

Do you have difficulty swallowing, which may feel like food or drink is stuck in your throat?

Do you regurgitate food or liquid (food or liquid flowing back up into your throat)?

Do you have heartburn?

Do you have a bitter taste in your mouth?

Do you belch often or have hiccups?

Do you have a chest pain that comes and goes?

Do you have a chest pain which may increase after eating, or may be felt as pain in the back, neck, and arms?

Do you cough during the night?

Do you wake up at night choking due to regurgitation?

Do you have an unintentional weight loss?

Do you have vomiting?

Do you have dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) and dry mouth (xerostomia)?

Do your symptoms worsen over time?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have achalasia. Achalasia is a medical condition characterized by abnormal esophageal function. The esophagus is the tube that connects your throat to your stomach. Normally, food moves from your mouth, through the esophagus into your stomach. In people with achalasia, the lower esophageal sphincter, placed at the end of the esophagus does not open during swallowing, preventing food from entering the stomach. Food collects in the esophagus and sometimes washes back up into the mouth. Achalasia is a rare condition. About 3,000 people are diagnosed with achalasia in the United States each year.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have achalasia. Achalasia is a motility disorder that affects the esophagus. The esophageal muscles fail to contract normally and lose the ability to squeeze food down into the stomach. Over time, the esophagus becomes dilated and paralyzed leading to increased difficulties in eating solid food and in drinking fluids. Achalasia is a long-term problem caused by damage to the nerves in the esophagus. It may be overlooked due to its symptoms similar to other digestive disorders. Tests commonly used to diagnose achalasia are esophageal manometry, X-rays of your upper digestive system and upper endoscopy.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have achalasia. Achalasia is a rare medical condition that affects muscles and nerves in the esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. In people with achalasia, the esophagus loses the ability to push food down into the stomach. Also, the valve at the lower end of your esophagus fails to relax enough to let food pass into your stomach. There is no cure for achalasia, but the symptoms can be managed with proper treatment. The treatment includes injection with botulinum toxin, medications, surgery and widening (dilation) of the esophagus.