How does gerd cause dysphagia

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Overview Esophagus Open pop-up dialog box Close. Esophagus The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects your mouth and your stomach. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Fass R. Approach to the evaluation of dysphagia in adults. Accessed Sept. Ferri FF. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; Lembo AJ. Oropharyngeal dysphagia: Clinical features, diagnosis, and management. American College of Gastroenterology.

Panebianco M. If you have frequent difficulty swallowing, this is an important symptom to discuss with your healthcare provider. It may be a sign of a new condition or a condition that is getting worse. Besides being unpleasant, you may not be eating or drinking enough to maintain good health. Your healthcare provider will be able to explore what the cause may be and decide on how best to relieve your symptoms.

Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. What we don't know about dysphagia complications?. Rev Laryngol Otol Rhinol Bord. Cleveland Clinic. GERD chronic acid reflux.

Updated December 6, Kruger D. Assessing esophageal dysphagia. Shaker R. Oropharyngeal dysphagia. Gastroenterol Hepatol N Y. University of Michigan. Difficulty swallowing dysphagia.

Updated November 7, Chait MM. Gastroesophageal reflux disease: important considerations for the older patients. World J Gastrointest Endosc. American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and the risk for esophageal cancer. International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders. Symptoms of GERD. Gag, choke, or cough when you swallow. Have food or liquids come back up through your throat, mouth, or nose after you swallow. Feel like foods or liquids are stuck in some part of your throat or chest.

Have pain when you swallow. Have pain or pressure in your chest or have heartburn. Lose weight because you are not getting enough food or liquid. How is dysphagia diagnosed? Your doctor may then refer you to one of the following specialists: An otolaryngologist , who treats ear, nose, and throat problems A gastroenterologist , who treats problems of the digestive system A neurologist , who treats problems of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system A speech-language pathologist , who evaluates and treats swallowing problems To help find the cause of your dysphagia, you may need one or more tests, including: X-rays.

These provide pictures of your neck or chest. A barium swallow. This is an X-ray of the throat and esophagus.

Before the X-ray, you will drink a chalky liquid called barium. Barium coats the inside of your esophagus so that it shows up better on an X-ray.

This test uses a type of barium swallow that allows your swallowing to be videotaped. This test looks at the back of your throat, using either a mirror or a fiber-optic scope.

Esophagoscopy or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. During these tests, a thin, flexible instrument called a scope is placed in your mouth and down your throat to look at your esophagus and perhaps your stomach and upper intestines. Sometimes a small piece of tissue is removed for a biopsy.

A biopsy is a test that checks for inflammation or cancer cells. During this test, a small tube is placed down your esophagus. The tube is attached to a computer that measures the pressure in your esophagus as you swallow. How is it treated? Your treatment will depend on what is causing your dysphagia.

Treatment for dysphagia includes: Exercises for your swallowing muscles. If you have a problem with your brain, nerves, or muscles, you may need to do exercises to train your muscles to work together to help you swallow. You may also need to learn how to position your body or how to put food in your mouth to be able to swallow better.

Changing the foods you eat. Your doctor may tell you to eat certain foods and liquids to make swallowing easier. In this treatment, a device is placed down your esophagus to carefully expand any narrow areas of your esophagus. You may need to have the treatment more than once. In some cases, a long, thin scope can be used to remove an object that is stuck in your esophagus.

If you have something blocking your esophagus such as a tumor or diverticula , you may need surgery to remove it. Surgery is also sometimes used in people who have a problem that affects the lower esophageal muscle achalasia. If you have dysphagia related to GERD, heartburn, or esophagitis, prescription medicines may help prevent stomach acid from entering your esophagus. Infections in your esophagus are often treated with antibiotic medicines.

Orpharyngeal and esophageal motility disorders.