Overview

Esophageal spasms are painful contractions within the muscular tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus). Esophageal spasms can feel like sudden, severe chest pain that lasts from a few minutes to hours.

Esophageal spasms typically occur only occasionally and might not need treatment. But sometimes the spasms are frequent and can prevent food and liquids from traveling through the esophagus. If esophageal spasms interfere with your ability to eat or drink, treatments are available.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of esophageal spasms include:

• Squeezing pain in your chest. The pain is often intense, and you might mistake it for heart pain (angina).
• Difficulty swallowing, sometimes related to swallowing specific substances, such as red wine or extremely hot or cold liquids.
• The feeling that an object is stuck in your throat.
• The return of food and liquids back up your esophagus (regurgitation).

When to see a doctor

The squeezing chest pain associated with esophageal spasms can also be caused by a heart attack. If you experience squeezing chest pain, seek immediate medical care.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Causes

It's not clear what causes esophageal spasms. However, they appear to be related to abnormal functioning of nerves that control the muscles you use when you swallow.

A healthy esophagus normally moves food into your stomach through a series of coordinated muscle contractions. Esophageal spasms make it difficult for the muscles in the walls of your lower esophagus to coordinate in order to move food to your stomach.

There are two types of esophageal spasms:

• Occasional contractions (diffuse esophageal spasms). This type of spasm may be painful and is often accompanied by regurgitation of food or liquids.
• Painfully strong contractions (nutcracker esophagus). Although painful, this type of spasm — also referred to as jackhammer esophagus — may not cause regurgitation of food or liquids.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Diagnosis

Your doctor might recommend:

• Endoscopy. A flexible tube (endoscope) that is passed down your throat allows your doctor to see the inside of the esophagus. Your doctor may remove a tissue sample (biopsy) for testing to rule out other esophageal diseases.
X-ray. Images of your esophagus are taken after you swallow a contrast liquid.
• Esophageal manometry. This test measures muscle contractions in your esophagus when you swallow water
• Esophageal pH monitoring. This test can determine if stomach acid is flowing back into your esophagus (acid reflux).

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Lifestyle and home remedies

To help you cope with occasional esophageal spasms, try to:

• Avoid your triggers. Make a list of foods and beverages that cause your esophageal spasms.
• Choose food that is warm or cool. Let foods and drinks that are very hot or very cold sit for a bit before eating or drinking them.
• Find ways to control stress. Esophageal spasms may be more common or more severe when you're stressed.
• Suck a peppermint lozenge. Peppermint oil is a smooth-muscle relaxant and might help ease esophageal spasms. Place the peppermint lozenge under your tongue.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Risk factors

Esophageal spasms are a rare condition. They tend to occur in people between the ages of 60 and 80, and may be associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Other factors that can increase the risk of esophageal spasms include:

• High blood pressure
• Anxiety or depression
• Drinking red wine or consuming very hot or very cold foods or drinks