Spasm of the esophagus: symptoms, causes and treatment. How to relieve esophagus spasm at home?

In the article you will find information about the causes, symptoms and methods of treating spasm of the esophagus.

The main function of the esophagus is food from the oral cavity to the stomach. During normal operation, the smooth muscles of this organ are excitedly reduced for the progressive movement of the food lump.

Spasm of the esophagus is a disease in which there is a difficulty in peristalsis, swallowing food and pain signs of varying severity in the sternum. This condition is associated with the pathology of the functioning of the smooth muscles, expressed in involuntary painful contraction of the walls.

Esophagus spasm: symptoms and causes

Among the reasons leading to the occurrence of spasm of the esophagus (esophagospasm), the main ones are the following:

• Solid, insufficiently chewed, dry, too hot or cold food.
• Microtrauma walls that can be formed as a result of damage to hard foods or foreign bodies.
• Alcoholic drinks of increased strength, which can lead to a burn of the mucosa.
• Food or chemical poisoning.
• Interchant neuralgia associated with the work of the digestive organs.
• Infectious diseases that affect the mucous membrane - acute bronchitis, influenza infections, measles, rubella, scarlet fever.
• Inflammatory processes in the internal organs near the esophagus.
• Stomach or duodenal ulcer,
  Stones in the gall bladder.
• Gastroesophageal reflux pathology, one of the manifestations of which is to cast the contents of the stomach back into the esophagus cavity.
• Diseases of the nervous system.
• Overwork, psychoemotional stress and stress.

Spasms are more often fixed at the entrance or output of the esophagus. These areas are equipped with a large number of nerve endings, therefore, first of all, they respond to the malfunctions of the nervous system. The function of sphincters of the esophagus is to prevent inappropriate food from getting, in this regard, there is a sharp reduction from contact with hot, spicy or hard foods.

Pain signs can be acute - in the form of intense cutting pain or a feeling of “lump”, compression and severity. The duration of the attack is from a couple of seconds to one hour.

The main symptoms of the attack are:

• Acute chest pains and areas between the shoulder blades resembling signs of angina pectoris.
• A compressive pain behind the sternum, increasing at load.
• Dysphagia is a difficulty in swallowing food, both solid and liquid.

The appearance of painful features may be associated with the process of eating and active physical exertion, as well as occur at rest and even sleep.

Diffuse spasm of the esophagus: causes and symptoms

It is manifested in the form of a violation of the motor skill - an unconducted muscle contraction located along the entire length of the esophagus while maintaining the normal tone of the lower sphincter.

Symptoms are expressed as:

• Intensive pain in the sternum and the zone of connection of the esophagus with the stomach. Pain spreads upwards, can cover the lower jaw and shoulder belt. An attack of sharp pain is not related to eating.
• Violation of the swallowing process, which is more pronounced when trying to swallow puree food or drinks than hard food.
• Bruthing after the cessation of muscle spasm.
• The attack can last from 2 minutes to several hours.

The segmental spasm of the esophagus

With this type, muscle contractions in some areas of the esophagus with high intensity are observed. With an X -ray, you can see the modification of the esophageal tube like a “skeleton” or “clock”.

The main symptoms:

• The difficulty of swallowing foods rich in fiber (vegetables, fruits, bread from coarse flour) and soft food (mashed potatoes, cereals, cottage cheese, yogurt).
• The appearance of dysphalgia in the process of taking fluid.
• The pains are characterized as moderate, spread in the lower segment, begin and subside gradually.
• The spasm lasts from a few seconds to 2 hours.

Esophagus spasm on nervous grounds: Symptoms

With neuropathic spasm, a convulsive reduction in the smooth muscles of the esophagus cavity occurs.

The reasons for such a violation are:

• strong nervous overstrain
• anxiety, fear, sleep disturbance
• stressful situations
• depression

Esophagus spasm when swallowing: symptoms

• The occurrence of a sharp compression of the muscles of the esophagus during eating.
• The delay in the food lump in the cavity with subsequent calls to vomiting.
• The difference between the appearance of vomiting - vomiting contains undigested food, which did not have time to get into the stomach.

With pathologies of the nervous system and neurological disorders, an attack can develop regardless of food intake. The main features are:

• Pain spread in the chest area, reminiscent of heart.
• The intensity of pain varies from a feeling of slight compression to a sharp burning or severe compression.
• Sometimes there are signs of suffocation.
• With neurosis, hysteria, panic attacks, a “coma” feeling appears in the throat with the inability to swallow even saliva, which indicates a reduction in the initial segments of the esophagus.
• Spasms and vomiting can be triggered by fright, anxious states, sharp sounds.
• Attacks are short -term or last up to several hours with different intensity of painful sensations.

Cardiological spasm of the esophagus: symptoms and causes

Cardiospasm is characterized by signs of expansion of the esophagus on all its length with characteristic changes in its walls and is accompanied by a significant narrowing of the cardiac segment. The reasons for this condition can be various factors.

• Interior reasons include prolonged spasms that occur due to the development of ulcer of the stomach or esophagus, traumatic damage to the mucous membrane, the presence of tumor formations, toxic effects (alcohol, tobacco, pairs of toxic substances). The esophagus stenosis can also be associated with inflammation of the mucosa for infectious diseases - rash typhoid, tuberculosis, scarlet fever, syphilis.
• External factors are various kinds of diseases that cause pathological inflammatory processes near the diaphragm (pleurisy, aortic aneurysm, aortitis).
• The causes of cardiospasm may also be violations of the central nervous system, which are formed in infectious diseases (polio, menigoencephalitis, diphtheria) and intoxication of the body under the influence of some substances (nicotine, lead, arsenic, and carbon monoxide).

Esophagus spasms during pregnancy: Causes

Esophagospasm during pregnancy is not always associated with pathological damage to the esophagus. Most often, the reasons are physiological and hormonal changes in the body of a woman:

• A gradual increase in the size of the fetus exerts pressure on the organs of the abdominal cavity and sternum. As a result of compression of the digestive organs, the contents of the stomach can be replaced back into the esophagus, irritating its walls and causing stenosis.
• During pregnancy in the body of the future mother, the production of the hormone progesterone sharply increases, which leads to muscle relaxation. Thus, the tone of the muscles of sphincters of the esophagus is weakened, which allows gastric juice to enter its cavity.
• Under the influence of hormones, the nervous system of a pregnant woman becomes more excitable, which can provoke spasmodic attacks.

Esophagus spasm with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: Causes

Esophagus cramps can be one of the symptoms of osteochondrosis. This type is called vertebrogenic esophagospasm and is observed with osteochondrosis of the thoracic or cervical spine due to infringement of the nerve endings (roying syndrome).

• The digestive organs, like other internal organs, depend on the spinal cord. With the help of vegetative nerves, the work of the organs is regulated.
• Symptoms caused by esophagospasm with osteochondrosis are sometimes difficult to distinguish from signs of other diseases. Diagnosis of this condition includes a number of examinations.

What to do when spasm of the esophagus, how to remove?

To help quickly remove pain, you can do the following:

• During the attack, the patient, as a rule, is able to make several sips of warm fluid - best milk, decoction of chamomile or mint. This will help to advance, relieve acute pain.
• You can perform breathing exercises for Z-5 minutes: inhale deeply using abdominal breath, while calculating mentally up to 5, hold your breath for a couple of seconds and exhale slowly.
• A rapid relaxing effect has nitroglycerin, the pill of which the patient should dissolve under the tongue.
• The injection of the drug atropine will help relieve muscle spasm (can be administered intravenously or intramuscularly).

How to relieve esophagus spasm with folk remedies?

With repeated seizures, you can use home recipes:

• Prepare a decoction by adding to 0.5 liters of water 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flaxseed, 1 teaspoon of anise, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of natural honey. Bring the mixture to a boil, leave to brew for 15 minutes, strain and take warm 2 times a day.
• Boil 5 tbsp. tablespoons of dry leaves of plantain and 2 tbsp. tablespoons of peppermint in 1 liter of water over low heat. Add 3 tbsp. tablespoons of honey and boil for a Z-5 minutes. Strain the resulting broth and drink on an empty stomach for 1 tbsp. spoon.
• With neurological spasm, accompanied by insomnia, rapid pulse, a violation of cardiac activity will help tinctures of valerian, motherwort or peony. These herbs have a mild sedative and antispasmodic effect. Dilute 15 drops of tincture of the roots of valerian or motherwort in a glass of warm water and take 100 ml times a day half an hour before meals. Dilute in 1 tbsp. a spoonful of warm water 10 drops of the peony tincture and take it once a day before meals.
• Herbal baths are a good soothing and relaxing product - with a decoction of pine or fir branches or herbal collection (motherwort, linden flowers, valerian, lemon balm). Additionally, you can use the essential oils of ylang-ylang, tea tree, orange-5-10 drops. The optimal duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes at a water temperature 37-40ºС.

Esophagus spasm: treatment

Folk methods are applicable if the attacks are caused by fatigue, overwork or nervous disorder. If the disease is chronic and is caused by the presence of any pathology, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of the underlying disease, as well as adhere to a sparing diet.

The correct diet plays an important role in the prevention and therapy of diseases of the digestive tract.

• Food should not irritate the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach - it is necessary to turn on boiled, stewed or steam dishes at the basis of the nutrition. It should be eaten fractionally-4-5 times a day in small portions. The last meal should be no later than the hours before bedtime.
• It is necessary to completely exclude carbonated and alcohol -containing drinks, dark chocolate, strong coffee, fried, spicy and spicy dishes, salty and acidic foods, canned food and smoked meats. Make sure that food and drinks are not too hot or cold, optimally 36-38ºС or room temperature.

Physiotherapy and massage

Physiotherapy methods help stabilize the functioning of the nervous system, have a relaxing effect on muscle tissue.

With spasmic attacks, the following procedures are recommended:

• inductor therapy
• microwave therapy
• electrophoresis
• carbon dioxide, rhodon baths

An important component of therapeutic therapy is physical activity. If you have sedentary work, you should take breaks every 2 hours and perform a 5-minute set of exercises to strengthen the spine and stabilize the functions of the central nervous system. In their free time, walks, running, swimming, moderate power loads are recommended.

The total massage will help restore normal muscle tone, relieve voltage, will have an additional relaxing effect on the entire body.

Medication therapy

Medication treatment of esophagospasm is aimed at eliminating all concomitant symptoms and facilitating the general condition.

• To lower the acidity of the gastric juice, the following drugs are prescribed: Creon, Famotodin, Omeprazole.
• To relieve spasms, suppress nausea and urge to vomit: drotoverin, cerucal.
• To protect the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach from irritation: Almagel, Renny, Gastal.

The dosage of drugs is prescribed by a doctor depending on the symptoms and causes that provoke this impaired esophagus.

The following habits will help reduce the frequency of seizures:

• sleep and rest on a high headboard
• rejection of alcohol and smoking
• reducing body weight
• the development of proper posture (to prevent the curvature of the esophagus tube)

The basic principles of treating the patient from cramping of the esophagus should include the correct diagnosis and a combination of a complex of procedures for successful therapy.

Video: Diseases of the esophagus