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Achalasia is a rare disorder that makes it difficult for food and liquid to pass from the oesophagus into the stomach. The condition is caused by nerve damage to the oesophagus, which prevents the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) from relaxing.
read more about achalasia ...The cause is related to the degeneration of nerve cells in the oesophagus wall. These nerve cells are necessary for signaling the LES to open during swallowing. Without these signals, the LES remains tightly closed. This lack of nerve control leads to the chronic backup and retention of food in the oesophagus.
Main symptoms include difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), chest pain, regurgitation of undigested food, and weight loss. Patients often feel as though food is stuck in their chest. Diagnostic indications are commonly seen on a barium swallow X-ray, which shows the oesophagus dilated with a tapered "bird's beak" appearance due to the tightly closed LES.
Diagnosis involves a high-resolution manometry, which measures the pressure of the oesophageal muscles and confirms that the LES fails to relax. An endoscopy is also performed to rule out cancer or other structural blockages.
Achalasia does not directly impact vision. However, the chronic regurgitation and difficulty swallowing can lead to severe malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. Deficiencies in Vitamin A can indirectly cause severe dry eye, poor vision in low light, and corneal problems.
Treatment focuses on permanently relaxing the LES muscle. This can be achieved through pneumatic dilation (stretching the LES with a balloon), medication, or, most commonly, a surgical procedure (Heller myotomy) to cut the muscle fibers of the LES.
It is not immediately life-threatening, but it can lead to severe malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia.
Yes, Botox injections can temporarily paralyze the LES muscle, allowing food to pass, but the effect wears off after several months.
Chronic food retention and inflammation can slightly increase the long-term risk of oesophageal cancer.
See a doctor if you have difficulty swallowing or if food "comes back up" (regurgitation) while lying down. Aspiration of food into the lungs can cause "aspiration pneumonia," which is a serious medical complication of untreated achalasia.
Cleveland Clinic. Achalasia (clevelandclinic.org). 2024.
Mayo Clinic. Achalasia Symptoms (mayoclinic.org). 2024.
StatPearls. Achalasia (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). 2024.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Achalasia (niddk.nih.gov). 2024.