Failure of the esophagogastric sphincter to relax with swallowing.
An obstruction that occurs in the lower esophagus that is thought to be due to a loss of nerve function. The obstruction may be the result of the retention of food in the upper esophagus.
Failure to relax, as of a muscle.
The condition of being unable to relax the muscles.
Constriction or malfunction of muscles controlling peristalsis by the esophagus. Because the muscles do not readily relax in this condition and there is a loss in the synchrony of constriction and relaxation, ingested food does not readily pass into the stomach.
Failure of a muscle, particularly a sphincter (muscular ring or valve), to relax, esp. in the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., the cardiac sphincter of the stomach).
A rare disorder in which the sphincter muscle at the lower end of the esophagus, a tube that connects the throat and stomach, fails to contract and relax properly. Achalasia causes difficulty in swallowing solids and liquids. Symptoms of achalasia include regurgitation of food eaten in the preceding day or two, chest pain, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, and bad breath.
A condition in which the normal muscular activity of the esophagus (gullet) is disturbed, which delays the passage of swallowed material. It may occur at any age: symptoms include difficulty in swallowing liquids and solids, slowly increasing over years; sometimes regurgitation of undigested food; and occasionally severe chest pain caused by spasm of the esophagus. Diagnosis is by a barium X-ray examination and pressure motility studies. Treatment is by forceful instrumental stretching of the tight lower end of the esophagus or by surgical splitting of the muscular ring in that area (cardiomyotomy).
Achalasia is another term for spasm, but indicates not so much an active spasm of muscle as a failure to relax.
Failure to relax; said of smooth muscles, such as those positioned between the lower esophagus and the stomach.
It is the inability of the lower portion of the esophagus or another tubular valve to open properly, leading to a blockage that can be partial or complete.
A rare medical condition, of unknown origin, manifests when the muscles situated at the lower extremity of the esophagus and the sphincter (valve) connecting the esophagus and the stomach fail to unwind, impeding the passage of food into the stomach subsequent to swallowing. Consequently, the narrowest segment of the esophagus becomes constricted and obstructed by ingested food, while the upper portion expands in response.
Manifestations encompass challenges and discomfort during the act of swallowing, accompanied by pain in the lower thoracic region and upper abdominal area. The regurgitation of food leads to the emergence of an unpleasant taste in the oral cavity and the occurrence of halitosis. Over time, the capacity to swallow progressively declines, eventually hindering the ingestion of liquids as well.
To explore the condition known as achalasia, medical professionals may conduct a barium swallow, which involves a specialized X-ray procedure using barium contrast material, as well as a gastroscopy procedure where a slender visual tube is inserted into the esophagus. These diagnostic methods aid in the investigation of achalasia.
The effectiveness of drug therapy in treating achalasia is infrequent. However, a potential approach to achieve sustained enlargement of the esophagus involves oesophageal dilatation, wherein a cylindrical rod or a balloon catheter is carefully inserted into the esophagus. In some cases, surgical intervention may be required to widen the food pathway by selectively incising a portion of the muscles at the entrance of the stomach.
The inability of a muscular valve, like the one in the esophagus or anus, to relax, hindering the movement of gastrointestinal contents.