Is there a treatment for esophogael spasm?!
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Treatment of esophageal spasm can be divided into two broad categories: medical treatment & surgical treatment
1. Medical treatment
# You can use nitroglycerine (nitrates) tablets sublingually, which is effective in terminating an acute attack of spasm. Quite effective in reducing the pain.
# You can use calcium channel blockers like nifedipine, which is effective in reducing the spasm in long term. But the pain may not be reduced always.
# Tricyclic antidepressants can be used (eg: Imipramine). This will not actually reduce the spasm, but it will change the attitude of the patient towards the pain and the patient will get relief from pain.
# Injecting botulinum toxin with the help of an endoscope at the site of spasm, reduces it. Quite difficult procedure.
2. Surgical methods
# Balloon dilatation: here we pass an endoscope into the esophagus with an inflatable balloon at the inner end. The balloon is inflated to produce dilatation at the spasm site.
# Esophageal myotomy can be done. Here using a thoracoscope, we cut the circular muscle fibres of the esophagus and this will reduce the spasm.
# As a last resort, we can do esophagectomy where the portion of esophagus with spasm is resected out and the two ends of esophagus are joined.
Dr Binny
Other Answers:
Esophageal Spasm Treatment
Sublingual (beneath the tongue) nitroglycerin may be effective in an acute episode. Long-acting nitroglycerin and calcium channel blockers are also used to treat esophageal spasms.
Rarely, severe cases require surgery.
Esophageal Spasm Prevention
Avoid very hot or very cold foods if you are prone to esophageal spasms.
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