By Dr. Michael Vaezi, MD, PhD, MS, Clinical Director of the Center for Swallowing and Esophageal Disorders at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Vaezi also serves as on the Medical Advisory Board for the Achalasia Foundation.

Background:

Achalasia, a rare condition affecting about 1 in every 100,000 individuals each year, is defined as a disorder of the esophagus in which the band of muscle located where the esophagus and stomach meet fails to function properly. This muscle is called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and it typically relaxes when a person swallows. However, in people diagnosed with achalasia, the LES does not fully relax and the normal muscle activity of the esophagus is reduced. Therefore, food is not properly moved through the esophagus to the stomach. Classic symptoms of this disorder include difficulty swallowing foods and/or liquids (dysphagia), as well as regurgitation of undigested foods and saliva. Additional symptoms may include substernal (esophageal) chest pain during meals, significant or rapid weight loss, and significant reduction in overall quality of life. Achalasia occurs equally in men and women, typically between the ages of 30 and 60, has no racial predictor, and does not run in families.

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Written by Liza Blumenfeld, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Every human has experienced the uncomfortable sensation of choking. For many, it is a sporadic event that passes without much thinking. A loved one may offer a reminder to “slow down” or “not talk with your mouth full”. Unfortunately, for some, the fear of swallowing is an all-encompassing emotion that can render the act of eating as joyless. A small percentage of these individuals bear this burden while being told that their symptoms are essentially baseless. In other words, they are told it is all in their heads.

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