Overview on the Disorders of the Esophagus

The esophagus which is popularly known as the food pipe is the very beginning of the alimentary canal. This is the part that does the most crucial job of pushing the ingested food down to the stomach so it can be further processed with the cumulative effort of the digestive system. Since the esophagus carries out such an important job it has to function efficiently in order to ensure good digestion and overall health of the individual. However, there are times when the esophagus starts malfunctioning and leads to several issues which can severely impact the health of the individual. At such an instance the individual must try to consult the best Esophagus doctor in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, or any other city he/she may be living in. For a better understanding of the many issues related to the esophagus here’s a brief outline of the common esophageal diseases.

GERD: This is perhaps the most common esophageal disease seen in individuals. People suffering from this condition often complain of acid reflux as well as the backward flow of food into the esophagus. This primarily happens when the esophageal sphincter does not function properly.

Achalasia: This has commonly been classified as an auto-immune disease but what exactly causes this condition is still being studied. This condition can be extremely uncomfortable for an individual as in people suffering from this the esophageal sphincter does not open and the food does not go into the stomach.

Barrett’s esophagus: When issues related to acid reflux are left untreated for very long, people start suffering from this condition in which the lower esophageal cells start resembling those in the stomach’s lining. Since this condition is caused due to the esophagus coming in regular contact with the stomach acids, the cells where the stomach and the esophagus meet are primarily affected. This condition if left untreated leads to very high chances of esophageal cancer.

Eosinophilic esophagitis: People with multiple allergies are often known to report this condition wherein swelling of the esophageal lining is most commonly seen. This primarily happens when eosinophils or white blood cells start depositing in excess in the esophagus.

Esophageal Cancer: Esophageal cancer is primarily of two types, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. While people addicted to smoking and suffering from acid reflux for prolonged periods have higher chances of developing adenocarcinoma, those who may be having HPV infections, may have been exposed to radiation or are chain smokers run the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma.

Although these are the most common diseases of the esophagus that are reported, there could be several others showing up depending on the body’s physiology, environment as well as exposure to the elements. As such, it is extremely important that at the earliest occurrence of any symptoms related to the esophagus disease or condition, people consult the best Esophagus doctor in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad or any city where there are specialists and good hospitals catering to this field of medical science.