Severe pain in the chest area can be of a different nature. People often perceive such a symptom for signals about heart disease. However, it can be a spasm of the esophagus. If the pain recurs, you need to undergo a checkup to understand its cause and determine how to help.
The concept of
The esophagus is an elastic tube designed to move food from the mouth to the stomach. The organ has several layers and its work in the normal state remains for the person imperceptible.
When a food lump enters the esophagus, its walls begin to make waves to move the contents into the stomach. The disorder of this function of the esophagus - the coordinated movement of the walls in accordance with the volume of incoming food and the degree of its softness, is called spasm of the esophagus.
The manifestation of the disease has in its expression two forms:
- Acute spasm - comes suddenly, can be short-term and pass by itself, in some cases, the spasm lasts even a few days.
- Chronic course of the disease - discomfort when eating is experienced often or permanently. The patient is forced to wash down each portion with water.
In such cases,
- inflammatory processes,
- organ narrowing,
- or other problems are diagnosed in the esophagus.
Causes of esophagospasm
Factors that can cause spasms in the esophagus region:
- if a foreign object is stuck in the esophagus,
- solid components present in the food are capable of inflicting the surfaces of the esophagus of the microtrauma;this fact can be the reason for the appearance of spasm of the esophagus;
- is an inflammatory process in an organ located near the esophagus;
- intake of hot or too solid food,
- experience of stressful situations,
- gastroesophageal reflux,
- inflammation in the nerve zone, which is responsible for the functional activity of the esophagus,
- reception of strong alcohol, capable of making a burn of the esophagus mucosa;
- if the patient is sick:
- measles,
- influenza,
- scarlet fever,
- by other infectious diseases;
- mechanical causes of insufficient food grinding:
- lack of teeth,
- incorrectly matched dentures;
- inflammatory processes affecting the membranes of the brain.
Specialists all the reasons that cause spasm of the esophagus, divided into two groups:
- spasm associated with the root cause( primary) - the nervous system has organic lesions;
- spasm of the esophagus provoke other diseases, so it is called secondary;it:
- infectious diseases,
- diseases of the esophagus and nearby organs( ulcers, hernias),
- mechanical damage to the esophagus.
Symptoms of the disease
On the disease - spasm of the esophagus, indicate such signs:
- sensation of pain in the area between the scapula and inside the chest,
- if a person exerts himself loads, then chest compressive pain occurs;
- also pain may be present during such actions:
- eating,
- rest,
- during sleep,
- when swallowing saliva;
- difficulties during swallowing solid food, and maybe liquid food;
- pains in such parts of the body:
- hands,
- back,
- lower jaw,
- ears.
Diffusive spasm of the esophagus
This type of violation has such features:
- There is a violation in the coordination of the movement of the walls of the esophagus with the attachment of the spastic component. These moments cause pain in the chest area.
- The operation of the lower valve remains normal. This is manifested in the fact that the function of swallowing is not violated.
- Disruption of the esophagus as a spasm covers the entire body.
Diffusive spasm indicates the type of dysfunction of the smooth musculature of the esophagus. Specialists on this feature distinguish between two types of disorders:
- segmental spasm and
- considered in this section diffuse spasm.
Segmental
The disorder manifests itself through the signs:
- Coordination of the movements of the smooth muscles of the esophagus remains normal. Disease occurs when the amplitude of the movement of the walls goes beyond the figure, which is considered normal, twice.
- Violation is determined on a separate area of the esophagus.
Nervous
Spasms of the esophagus, which manifested itself on the nerves, are caused by uncoordinated actions controlling the process of the cranial nerves.
The sympathetic nerve guides the relaxation of the muscles, the parasympathetic nerve transmits the muscles action to constriction. If their correct interaction is disturbed, the tendency to narrow down may prevail, which causes a spasm.
Esophageal spasms of this nature can cause situations if a person:
- has an exacerbated nervous system,
- undergoes stress,
- overstrain
- or suffers from nervous disorders,
- has organic lesions in the nervous system,
- has increased hypotension.
Diagnosis
To properly prescribe the treatment of esophageal spasm it is necessary to understand the cause that initiates the problem. For this, the following methods are used:
- X-ray examination - allows to determine if the norm of the peristalsis of the esophagus meets the condition of the esophagus for deformity.
- Endoscopy is performed with an endoscope. The device has a video camera mounted on a flexible hose. Inspection of the esophagus will show if the esophagus has lesions and anomalies in its structure.
- The collection of material for biopsy is possible when carrying out endoscopy. This procedure is applied if specialists observe certain areas that raise doubts about their condition.
- The daily pH-metry determines whether the patient is experiencing reflux - entering the lower esophagus part of the contents of the stomach from the back.
- A study called manometry identifies the contractile activity that the esophagus exerts. May consider its separate areas on this topic.
Treatment of esophageal spasm
Methods of assistance determine depending on the causes that cause the disorder.
To reduce the violation of the spasmodic nature, drugs are used( as directed by specialists), they can be of such an action:
- calcium channel blockers( help to relieve spasm),
- antacid agents( in case of reflux),
- anticholinergic drugs( inhibit excitation),
- prokinetics(improve motility in the gastrointestinal tract)
If the diagnosis showed that the cause of nervous disorders, then this patient is taught, first of all, to find inner peace,get rid of the fear of recurrence of the attack.
Assign medications:
- antistress,
- antidepressants.
Physiotherapy is well suited to the methods of helping with spasm of the esophagus. Positive results are provided by electrophoresis procedures on the neck area.
If drug treatment, behavior correction, physiotherapy procedures do not have sufficient effect in the direction of reducing seizures, then they resort to surgery. Using a steel probe inserted into the esophagus, an extension of the narrowed section is made.
Several surgical procedures can be performed to obtain the effect. In parallel, anti-inflammatory therapy is performed.
Prognosis and prevention
Spasm of the esophagus, unless it is followed by a serious disease, is not an unsolvable problem. With the right treatment, a positive result is usually achieved.
People who have spasms of the esophagus should follow the rules:
- in food to refuse such types of food and drink:
- fatty foods,
- fried and spicy dishes,
- carbonated drinks,
- strong broths,
- spices,
- dishes very cold orhot,
- lamb,
- products containing coarse fiber,
- alcohol;
- should be eaten in a restful state, avoid rushing;
- food should be a mushy consistency, and portions at one time small.