What causes painful spasms in the esophagus?

What causes painful spasms in the esophagus?

Esophageal spasms are painful contractions within the muscular tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus).

When do you need treatment for esophageal spasms?

Esophageal spasms typically occur only occasionally and might not need treatment. But sometimes the spasms are frequent and can prevent food and liquids from traveling through the esophagus. If esophageal spasms interfere with your ability to eat or drink, treatments are available.

Which is the best Test to diagnose esophageal spasm?

The images show how well the liquid moves from your esophagus to your stomach. This test can help to diagnose nutcracker esophagus. Manometry. This is the only test that can confirm esophageal spasms.

What kind of spasm is the nutcracker esophagus?

Esophageal spasms are sometimes called nutcracker esophagus, though this is actually only one of the types of spasm.

What is the best medicine for esophageal spasms?

Nitroglycerin given under the tongue (sublingual) may be effective in an acute episode of esophageal spasm. Long-acting nitroglycerin and calcium channel blockers are also used to treat esophageal spasms.

What are the symptoms of an esophageal spasm?

Signs and symptoms of esophageal spasms include: Squeezing pain in your chest. The pain is often intense, and you might mistake it for heart pain (angina). Difficulty swallowing, sometimes related to swallowing specific substances, such as red wine or extremely hot or cold liquids. The feeling that an object is stuck in your throat.

Can you die from an esophageal spasm?

But these are secondary to the esophageal spasm, so technically, the cause of death would be complications from a surgery . Dr. Anderson explains, “While esophageal spasms are not fatal, some underlying causes, such as cancer, can be fatal .

What does an esophageal spasm feel like?

Esophageal spasms are painful contractions within the muscular tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus). Esophageal spasms can feel like sudden, severe chest pain that lasts from a few minutes to hours. Esophageal spasms typically occur only occasionally and might not need treatment.