Condition Lookup

Achalasia

Symptoms:
difficulty swallowing; regurgitation of undigested food; chest pain; heartburn-like symptoms; unintentional weight loss

Root Cause:
Failure of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to relax due to nerve degeneration, causing impaired esophageal motility and food stasis.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed via esophageal manometry (gold standard), barium swallow X-ray, and endoscopy to rule out other causes.

Treatment:
Pneumatic dilation, surgical myotomy (Heller myotomy), or peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM); medications such as nitrates or calcium channel blockers may be used in mild cases.

Medications:
Calcium channel blockers (e.g., nifedipine ) and nitrates (e.g., isosorbide dinitrate ) to relax the LES; botulinum toxin injections can provide temporary relief.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, affecting approximately 1 in 100,000 people annually; more common in middle-aged and older adults.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
No definitive risk factors, though genetic predisposition and autoimmune mechanisms are suspected.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with appropriate intervention, but symptoms may recur. Long-term follow-up is often required.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Risk of aspiration, esophageal perforation during dilation, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (long-term complication).

Diffuse Esophageal Spasm

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Esophageal Disorders

Sub-category: Motility Disorders

Symptoms:
chest pain (often mistaken for angina); difficulty swallowing (dysphagia); regurgitation; sensation of food stuck in the chest; pain that may radiate to the back or arms

Root Cause:
Uncoordinated or simultaneous esophageal muscle contractions that disrupt normal swallowing. The cause is often idiopathic but may involve nerve dysfunction or muscle hyperresponsiveness.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis typically includes barium swallow X-rays, esophageal manometry (measuring esophageal muscle contractions), and endoscopy to rule out structural abnormalities.

Treatment:
Treatment involves dietary modifications, medications to relax the esophagus, and, in severe cases, endoscopic or surgical interventions.

Medications:
Medications include calcium channel blockers (e.g., diltiazem or nifedipine ) to reduce muscle contractions, nitrates (e.g., isosorbide dinitrate ) to relax esophageal muscles, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) if reflux symptoms coexist.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, exact prevalence unknown, but it is estimated to affect less than 1% of the population.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Older age, stress, anxiety, and other motility disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Often manageable with medications and lifestyle changes. Severe cases may require advanced therapies, but the condition does not usually lead to life-threatening complications.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Risk of malnutrition, weight loss, or aspiration pneumonia due to chronic dysphagia; potential progression to esophageal spasm with impaired quality of life.

Nutcracker Esophagus

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Esophageal Disorders

Sub-category: Motility Disorders

Symptoms:
chest pain; painful swallowing (odynophagia); difficulty swallowing; heartburn-like symptoms; spasms triggered by hot or cold foods or drinks

Root Cause:
Excessive pressure during esophageal muscle contractions, though the contractions remain coordinated. It may result from heightened nerve sensitivity or hypercontractile response.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed via high-resolution esophageal manometry, which measures pressure and coordination of esophageal contractions.

Treatment:
Treatment includes muscle relaxants, pain management, and dietary adjustments. Behavioral therapy may be helpful for managing stress-related triggers.

Medications:
Medications include calcium channel blockers (e.g., nifedipine ), nitrates (e.g., nitroglycerin ) to reduce muscle pressure, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (e.g., sertraline ) to modulate pain perception.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, accounting for about 4-6% of esophageal motility disorders.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Stress, anxiety, and other functional gastrointestinal disorders.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally good with appropriate management; symptoms can be alleviated, but chronic cases may require ongoing treatment.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Potential weight loss or esophageal mucosal damage if the condition is associated with significant reflux.

Ineffective Esophageal Motility

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Esophageal Disorders

Sub-category: Motility Disorders

Symptoms:
difficulty swallowing (especially liquids); food regurgitation; heartburn; chest discomfort after eating; cough due to aspiration

Root Cause:
Weak or absent esophageal muscle contractions, leading to impaired transit of food and liquids to the stomach. Often associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
High-resolution esophageal manometry is used to identify weak peristalsis or failed esophageal contractions. Endoscopy may be used to rule out structural abnormalities.

Treatment:
Treatment includes addressing underlying GERD, dietary changes, and, in some cases, medications to improve motility.

Medications:
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (e.g., omeprazole ) to treat associated reflux, prokinetic agents (e.g., metoclopramide ) to enhance esophageal motility, and H2 blockers (e.g., ranitidine) for mild reflux symptoms.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Commonly found in patients with GERD, with prevalence estimated between 30-40% in this group.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
GERD, obesity, connective tissue disorders (e.g., scleroderma), and advanced age.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Symptoms are often manageable with treatment; severe cases may require long-term management strategies.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic dysphagia, aspiration pneumonia, and esophageal strictures if GERD is not effectively managed.

Gastroparesis

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: General and Miscellaneous GI Conditions

Sub-category: Motility Disorders

Symptoms:
nausea; vomiting; early satiety; bloating; abdominal pain; weight loss; poor appetite

Root Cause:
Impaired gastric motility due to delayed emptying of the stomach without mechanical obstruction; often associated with nerve or muscle dysfunction.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Gastric emptying studies (e.g., scintigraphy, breath tests), upper endoscopy to rule out obstruction, and imaging such as CT or MRI to assess anatomy.

Treatment:
Dietary modifications (small, low-fat, low-fiber meals), prokinetic medications, antiemetics, and in severe cases, interventions like gastric electrical stimulation or jejunal feeding tubes.

Medications:
Prokinetic agents such as metoclopramide (a dopamine antagonist) and erythromycin (a macrolide antibiotic) are prescribed to enhance gastric motility. Antiemetics, such as ondansetron (a serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist) or promethazine (a phenothiazine derivative ), are used to control nausea and vomiting.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects an estimated 4% of the U.S. population, with higher prevalence in individuals with diabetes or post-surgical complications.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Diabetes mellitus (type 1 and 2), prior abdominal surgery, systemic disorders affecting nerves or muscles (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, scleroderma), and certain medications (e.g., opioids, anticholinergics).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies by severity; manageable with lifestyle changes and medications, but symptoms can persist and significantly affect quality of life.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Severe malnutrition, dehydration, bezoar formation, fluctuating blood glucose levels in diabetic patients, and impaired medication absorption.

Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: General and Miscellaneous GI Conditions

Sub-category: Motility Disorders

Symptoms:
abdominal pain; bloating; nausea; vomiting; constipation; diarrhea; malnutrition; failure to thrive in children

Root Cause:
Abnormal motility of the intestines due to dysfunction of the smooth muscle or nerves; mimics a mechanical obstruction but without a physical blockage.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Abdominal X-rays, CT scans, manometry to evaluate intestinal contractions, and full-thickness biopsies to examine underlying neuromuscular abnormalities.

Treatment:
Management focuses on treating symptoms with dietary adjustments (low-residue or elemental diets), enteral or parenteral nutrition, prokinetic agents, and in some cases, surgical decompression.

Medications:
Prokinetic agents such as neostigmine (a cholinesterase inhibitor) and metoclopramide (a dopamine antagonist) are used to enhance motility. Antispasmodics, such as hyoscine (an anticholinergic agent), may be used to manage painful cramping. Antibiotics, like rifaximin (a gut-specific antibiotic), may be prescribed for bacterial overgrowth.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, with an estimated prevalence of fewer than 1 in 100,000 individuals; can occur as a primary (idiopathic) condition or secondary to systemic diseases.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Genetic predispositions, underlying conditions like scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, neurological disorders, or prior abdominal surgery.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Chronic and often progressive; prognosis depends on the underlying cause and response to treatment. Early intervention with nutritional support can improve outcomes.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Severe malnutrition, intestinal perforation, bacterial overgrowth, sepsis, and dependency on parenteral nutrition in advanced cases.