It is a disease whose exact cause is unknown that affects both men and women. Cause especially difficult to swallow.

Achalasia Disease

1. What is it?

Achalasia is a disease We do not know the exact cause. It can affect both men and women of all ages.

It has two fundamental changes:

- The valve lower esophagus (lower esophageal sphincter) does not relax completely after swallowing.

- No natural movements of the esophagus (peristalsis).

2. Symptoms

People with this disease have difficulty swallowing (dysphasia) both solids and liquids. This difficulty can increase when emotional stress, or with soda.

It is also typical to vomit the contents of the esophagus. Less common are respiratory symptoms such as cough.

3. Prevention and treatment

At present no treatment completely cures achalasia. There are three types of treatment: Pharmacologic, endoscope dilatation and surgery.

Drugs reduce the difficulty swallowing, but transiently. Forced dilation is done with a probe that has an inflatable balloon at the end. This procedure must be done in a hospital. It is quite effective. Surgery is used when serious cases or the rest have failed.

Other treatments are being tested with botulinum toxin, with the disadvantage that its effects are transient.