Dorothy FarrarEsophageal narrowing
Under an esophageal stenosis or an esophageal narrowing, the physician understands a disease which, treated – does not pose any dangers, but if left untreated can sometimes pose a risk to the health and life of the patient. Sometimes the narrowing of the esophagus is only a symptom of another disease, which is why immediate medical treatment must be given.
What is esophageal narrowing?
The digestive system begins – in the narrower sense – with the stomach. There, the meal is pre-digested – thanks to the gastric juices – and subsequently passed on to the small and large intestine. But before the meal enters the stomach, it must be transported through the esophagus. If there is an esophageal narrowing, it is not a dangerous disease, but it must still be treated – relatively quickly after the onset of the first symptoms.
Sometimes the narrowing of the esophagus means that another disease is present, that the narrowing can be regarded as a symptom in the broadest sense. As the name suggests, the narrowing of the esophagus is a narrowing, which is responsible for the fact that the ingested meals can not be transported unproblematically into the gastrointestinal area. The affected person complains of difficult swallowing and feels a kind of “pressure” that must be broken when swallowing.
Causes
There are numerous possible causes that are responsible for esophageal narrowing. Thus, esophageal narrowing often occurs with reflux esophagitis. The physician describes an unnatural return flow of gastric juice into the esophagus. This factor does favor esophageal narrowing. This sometimes promotes inflammation, as the esophagus is not prepared for the high pH value of gastric juices.Due to the corrosive liquid, the esophagus reacts sensitively. The inflammation triggered by the fluid or stomach acid subsequently causes the esophageal narrowing. Sometimes, however, pressure exerted on the esophagus can also cause a narrowing. The physician must also clarify whether a possible tumor is responsible for the narrowing of the esophagus. Sometimes malformations can also be the cause. However, congenital malformations are extremely rare and represent only a minimal percentage.
Symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of esophageal narrowing:
- Aspiration
- Regurgitation
Classic symptoms are difficulty swallowing, pain during the swallowing process, aspiration and regurgitation. In the further course of the disease, the swallowed food can come back into the mouth and throat of the person concerned. Even if the narrowing of the esophagus – at the beginning of its development – does not yet cause serious difficulties, it must be medically clarified and treated – so that any consequential damage can be prevented.
If there is an underlying disease that is responsible for the narrowing of the esophagus, the course of the disease depends on this.
Diagnosis
At the beginning, the anamnesis follows. The patient reports on his complaints, whereby the physician takes any clues in order to make a suspected diagnosis in advance. The physician performs an ultrasound examination so that he can detect any abnormalities that are responsible for the narrowing of the esophagus.
By means of ultrasound examination, the physician can detect a tumor or malformations. If inflammation of the esophagus is suspected, an examination of the esophagus is carried out. This examination is carried out as part of a gastroscopy. Inflammation may be present if the blood count of the affected person shows that he has an increased number of white blood cells.
treatment and therapy
Due to the fact that a malformation is only very rarely the cause of a narrowing of the esophagus, it is important that the underlying disease that led to the narrowing of the esophagus is diagnosed. If there is an inflammation, the pathogen must be determined and then the drug to combat it ( antibiotics ) must be prescribed. Only by killing the pathogens is it possible for the inflammation to subside and, as a result, for the narrowing of the esophagus to recede.
As a rule, the esophagus expands on its own when the inflammation subsides. This process can sometimes last for several days; patience is often required here. If, on the other hand, there is a tumor that is responsible for the narrowing of the esophagus, it must be surgically removed. Removing the tumor allows the esophagus to “unfold” again so that there is no longer any narrowing.
If the doctor determines that there is no underlying disease or that the narrowing of the esophagus does not recede after treatment, the esophagus must be “inflated”. The doctor inserts an elastic instrument that “inflates” the esophagus. The doctor would like to stretch the esophagus mechanically so that the person concerned can eat again without major problems. Sometimes the process has to be repeated several times; especially when there is a very pronounced narrowing of the esophagus.
Prevention
Due to the fact that the causes of narrowing of the esophagus are very diverse, no general recommendation can be given as to how this condition can be prevented. Especially because certain underlying diseases that are responsible for narrowing of the esophagus cannot be prevented.It is important that a doctor is contacted at the first sign so that any underlying diseases can be clarified in good time. This is the only way to positively influence and promote the course of the disease.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.