Esophageal stricture treatment

Narrowing of the esophagus (throat) is a rare condition called esophageal stricture. It’s most common in people who are older than 40.

When your throat narrows, it makes it hard to swallow foods and liquids. You might notice you’ve started eating more slowly to avoid pain or trouble with swallowing. This subconscious reaction allows time for what you’ve eaten to move into your stomach and leave room in your throat.

Esophageal stricture symptoms

Common symptoms of a narrow esophagus are:

• Trouble swallowing
• Pain with swallowing
• Unintentional weight loss
• Chest pain or pressure
• Heartburn
• Feeling of something stuck in your throat after eating
• Frequent burping or hiccups
• Regurgitation (food backs up into your throat or mouth)

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor right away. Complications like these may develop if esophageal narrowing isn’t treated:

• Food getting stuck in the esophagus leading to choking or trouble breathing
• Esophagus contents leaking into the lungs during regurgitation (may cause aspiration pneumonia or other infections of the lungs)
• Dehydration or malnutrition due to not getting enough to eat or drink
• Hole in the esophagus (can be life-threatening)

Esophageal stricture causes

Narrowing of the esophagus is usually caused by digestive disorders like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD can cause damage to your throat’s lining when stomach acid backs up into your throat.

Other potential causes are:

• Eosinophilic esophagitis
• Injuries caused by an endoscope
• Long-term use of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or some antibiotics
• Swallowing harmful substances such as household cleaners, lye or disc batteries
• Previous treatment of esophageal varices (enlarged veins in the esophagus)
• History of chest or neck radiation treatment

Another potential cause of narrow esophagus symptoms is esophageal cancer. If you have cancer, your symptoms will develop more swiftly than with benign (noncancerous) esophageal narrowing.

Diagnosing esophageal stricture

To determine if you have an esophageal stricture, your doctor may order tests such as these:

• Barium swallow test: You’ll drink a solution with barium in it to coat the inside of your throat. Then X-ray images will be taken to show the shape and size of your esophageal narrowing.
• pH monitoring: A tube is inserted to measure the pH level in your throat to test whether it contains stomach acid.
• Upper GI endoscopy: A thin, flexible tube is guided into your throat. A camera is inserted through the tube to capture images of the throat lining. Ultrasound may be used along with the camera to capture better images and help find tissues for a biopsy.

Treatments for esophageal stricture

Esophageal dilation is often the first treatment recommended for a narrowed esophagus. Dilation stretches the area that is narrowed. An endoscope (thin, flexible tube) is used to guide the dilator to the correct spot. To reduce inflammation and prevent the narrowing from coming back, your doctor may inject steroids into the area.

Surgery is usually only used for cancers. Benign esophageal strictures rarely require surgery.