Symptoms Of Major Esophageal Diseases

The esophagus is a vital organ for our body. It is responsible for transporting both solids and liquids.  There are changes in this organ that we must take into account, aspects that sometimes go unnoticed and that are worth knowing. We will talk below about the main diseases of the esophagus.

The most common problem associated with the esophagus is undoubtedly gastroesophageal reflux, but there are other diseases that have certain particular characteristics, diseases that will impede our normal eating or obtaining adequate nutrients. Next, we will see, step by step, each of the diseases of the esophagus, this very important organ.

Esophageal diseases and their symptoms

1. Achalasia

Which is?

It is a disease that is sometimes hereditary, in which the esophagus (formed by a kind of rings) stops contracting and taking food to the stomach normally.

Symptoms:

• Feeling that food is held in the esophagus;  difficulty breathing.
• It starts intermittently, until, little by little, it is also costly to swallow liquids.
• When we lie down, we feel nauseous, or a thick liquid comes into our mouths.
• When we vomit, pieces of food come up, but we don’t feel the classic acid taste, as the food has not reached the stomach.
• Cough.
• Pneumonia episodes.
• Chest pain that passes to the back and jaw.
• Weight loss.

2. Esophageal diseases: gastroesophageal reflux

Which is?

We know that the stomach produces acid and pepsin, which are essential for the digestion of food. But it can happen that the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach malfunctions and lets these acids escape into the esophagus, causing wounds.

Symptoms:

• Burning sensation in the chest and throat.
• Feeling that the food we eat is back in our throat.
• Sudden leaks of gastric juice into the throat, irritating it.
• Cough and hoarseness, especially in the morning.
• Severe chest pain due to acids that concentrate in the esophagus.
• Sensation of suffocation at night.
• Vomiting with blood.
• Dark stools.
• Weight loss.

3. Esophageal diseases: esophageal varices

What are?

Esophageal varices are abnormally dilated veins located at the end of the esophagus that communicate with the liver. But when our liver is sick, these veins can break. This phenomenon is somewhat serious.

Symptoms :

• When we suffer from esophageal varices, the stool appears to be very dark.
• Recurrent vomiting with the appearance of blood or coffee-like sediments.

• Dizziness, feeling cold, weakness; this is all due to blood loss.

4. Esophageal diseases: cancer

Esophageal cancer happens when some malignant cells attack the tissue and structure of the organ, invading it. The reasons why cancer originates are almost always linked to tobacco consumption, although a small percentage of its incidence is due to reasons that are still unknown.

Symptoms :

• Difficulties in eating, both liquid and solid foods.
• Patients notice thicker saliva.
• Chest pain.
• Pain on swallowing and acidity, which is often confused with reflux.
• Weight loss.
• Persistent and daily cough.
• Hiccup.
• Pneumonia episodes.
• General bone pain and extreme tiredness.
• Anemia. We start to lose blood inside, the stool turns dark and we feel nauseous.