Pain in the esophagus

Esophagus is part of the digestive tract that connects the oral cavity to the stomach. The main function of the body is the passage of food when swallowed in the stomach. Violation of this function causes pain in the esophagus, as well as difficulty swallowing.

It should be noted that discomfort can indicate a variety of pathologies. Depending on the original cause, the character, its duration and time of appearance can change. Ignore the pain in the esophagus by no means impossible.

A pathological symptom may indicate the development of an inflammatory process, damage, the presence of a foreign body or even neoplasm. To reveal the main problem to the gastroenterologist will be helped by laboratory and instrumental methods of diagnostics. So, to begin with we learn why the esophagus hurts.

The true causes of

The causes of pain in the esophagus can be very diverse:

• esophagitis - inflammation of the esophagus;
• reflux esophagitis is a disease in which the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus;
• esophageal rupture;
• presence of foreign objects;
• neoplasm;
• blunt injuries to the neck, abdomen and chest;
• hernia of the esophageal opening;
• burn;
• pain flare may occur after vomiting;
• diaphragmatic hernia;
• pregnancy;
• is a neuromuscular disease.

Symptoms of

Symptoms of pain in the esophagus differ depending on the underlying disease:

• painful to swallow. The symptom arises unexpectedly, for no apparent reason. At first, discomfort in the larynx arises after excitement or quick chewing food. Problems with swallowing food, as a rule, are selective. For example, drinking water can not cause any discomfort, while swallowing dairy products causes pain. After eating, there is a pressing feeling in the upper part of the sternum, tachycardia, as well as difficulty breathing;
• burp. Occurs immediately after a meal or after a while. Provoke an unpleasant symptom may be slopes or physical activity;
• pain. The esophagus may ache due to stretching of the esophagus or involuntary contractions. The attack can last up to several minutes. Often the pain in the esophagus gives back, jaw, neck, ear;
• heartburn.

Pain on swallowing of saliva can persist for several minutes

Diseases that cause pain

A painful flash indicates a deviation in the body. Consider the main diseases that cause the appearance of an unpleasant symptom.

Esophagitis

Esophagitis is a disease in which the mucosa of the esophagus becomes inflamed. A characteristic sign of the ailment is burning in the area behind the breastbone and discomfort during swallowing. Soreness increases with eating and torso. If after eating a little like, the discomfort will necessarily decrease.

Also, with esophagitis, heartburn, belching with air, vomiting with mucus or even blood may appear. Some patients even have a fever. Infection, burns, damage, gastroesophageal reflux, eating disorders, allergies can trigger an inflammatory reaction. In the risk group are people whose work is related to the inhalation of chemical vapors.

What should I do if an esophagitis occurs? The fight against inflammation directly depends on the root cause. Thus, with a chemical burn, gastric lavage is indicated. If ulcerative lesions are present, gastric lavage is strictly contraindicated.

Esophagitis causes heartburn

In acute processes during the first days, fasting is indicated. Further from the diet excluded products that irritate the mucosa and activate the active production of gastric juice:

• hot, sharp, rough food;
• alcoholic beverages;
• coffee;
• chocolate;
• fatty foods.

Spasm of the esophagus

The pathological process causes a violation of smooth muscle functions. During an attack, a patient simply can not swallow food, which is exacerbated by severe pain behind the sternum.

With a load, there is a compressive pain behind the sternum. Difficulty swallowing can cause even liquid food.

The disease can cause acute food, alcoholic beverages, stressful situations, infectious diseases, foreign body. Remove the symptoms of spasm of the esophagus will help antispasmodics. Manifestations of the disease will help reduce sedatives. They relieve anxiety and fear.

Reflux esophagitis

The essence of the pathological process is the ingress of gastric juice onto the mucous membrane of the esophagus. The disease provokes the appearance of pain, heartburn, belching, vomiting with milk and other digestive disorders.

With reflux esophagitis, pain appears in the chest region

The pathological process can cause symptoms that are not related to the digestive system: hoarseness, persistent cough, dental disease. An acute process can cause hyperthermia, burning and pain in the neck, as well as profuse salivation.

The following diseases may be the provoking causes of gastric contents: gastritis, ulcer, gastroduodenitis, neurosis. Treatment involves eliminating the root cause. An important role is played by diet food. From the diet should be excluded from the acute, fatty, citrus, tomatoes. Along with this, drugs are prescribed that reduce the acidity of the stomach.

Esophageal cancer

Malignant formation in the esophagus region is clinically manifested in the form of a swallowing disorder, a deterioration in appetite, and a decrease in body weight. The earlier the pathological process was identified, the greater the chance of curing cancer. If the neoplasm was identified in the third or fourth stage, it is simply impossible to completely cure the disease.

Specialists identify a number of provoking factors of esophageal cancer in humans:

• consumes too hot or, conversely, cold food;
• smoking;
• alcoholism;
• burns;
• contaminated air;
• obesity;
• improper power;
• reflux esophagitis.

Symptoms of esophageal cancer in patients manifest themselves as the pathological process progresses, at first people do not have complaints

When the tumor reaches the dimensions that make it difficult for the passage of food, there are clinical symptoms. The main symptom is difficulty swallowing. Solid food simply gets stuck in the esophageal tube, which causes patients to take liquid food. It feels like there is a lump in the throat.

As the neoplasm grows, soreness appears behind the sternum and in the throat. Difficulty in the passage of food causes vomiting. Often, cancer is accompanied by the appearance of dry cough and hoarseness. Therapeutic tactics largely depends on the location of the tumor, its size and the presence of metastases. The main method of treatment is surgical intervention.

Diaphragmatic hernia

Hernia is an opening or protrusion through which peritoneal organs enter the thoracic cavity. The pathological process can be the result of traumatic injury, relaxation of the muscles of the diaphragm or genetic abnormalities.

Specialists also identify a number of provoking factors in the onset of diaphragmatic hernia:

• age over 50 years;
• pregnancy;
• frequent constipation;
• weight lifting;
• is overweight;
• intense cough;
• chronic processes of the digestive tract.

Diaphragmatic hernia can cause pain in the area of ​​the esophagus. The ailment causes difficulty in swallowing, vomiting eaten by food, bloating, belching, heartburn, as well as shortness of breath and tachycardia after eating. Surgical intervention is performed with infringement of the hernia, in which the following symptoms appear: nausea, vomiting, bloating, intense pain in the chest.

Conservative treatment includes such recommendations: use

• in small portions;
• sleep in a semi-sitting position;
• last meal three to four hours before bedtime;
• taking antispasmodics and antacids to reduce acidity.

Esophageal burn

Most often, organ burns occur due to the use of hot food or exposure to chemicals - acids, alkalis. There is a severe pain in the neck, behind the breastbone and upper abdominal cavity. Chemicals affect the vocal folds, which causes the hoarseness of the voice.

Vomit may contain mucus, blood, as well as pieces of the affected mucosa of the esophageal tube and stomach. Intoxication of the body causes weakness, nausea, hyperthermia. The first thing to do with a burn is washing the stomach. With alkali poisoning, rinsing is carried out with acetic or citric acid. If the burn is caused by acids, then a soda solution is used for washing.

Pain in the esophagus during pregnancy

The change in the position of the stomach, which is lifted by the upward growing uterus, often provokes esophagitis and reflux esophagitis. Most often, the lesion of the esophagus appears in re-born women, especially in a short period of time. In many women after childbirth, the inflammatory process gradually goes away on its own.

Changing the hormonal background is another cause of pain in the esophagus in pregnant women. This leads to a change in the motor activity of the esophagus and gastric motility. Pregnant women complain of the appearance of the following symptoms:

• belching sour;
• heartburn;
• pain when swallowing;
• discomfort in the upper abdomen and chest.

Heartburn and pain in the esophagus often worries pregnant women

Heartburn and inflammation of the esophagus does not affect fetal development and does not cause premature birth. Yet this has a negative effect on the condition of the mother. As a result, scars can appear on the mucous membrane of the organ and stenosis may develop, narrowing the lumen of the esophagus.

Pregnant women are extremely important to monitor their diets. It is important to exclude carbonated drinks, fatty, fried. Food is better taken more often, but in small portions. Immediately after eating, it is not recommended to occupy a horizontal position, it is better to take a walk in the fresh air. Watch also for the choice of clothes, it should not be tightening.

Pain in the esophagus is a common symptom with which patients are referred to a doctor. To cause the appearance of the disease can be a variety of causes: gastritis, reflux esophagitis, cancer, diaphragmatic hernia, hormonal changes in pregnant women and more.

The symptom itself will pass as the root cause is eliminated. The doctor will be able to diagnose after the diagnostic examination. By self-medication, you can seriously harm yourself and lose valuable time.