swallowing-esophageal spasm

hi,

I can not rememeber when I had read somebody else here has swallowing difficultiiis . Is anyone having what i beleive I have esophageal spasm?
I get food and pills stuc k in my throat and while my modified barium swallow in the past only showed some dysmoobility,  i wasn't having the actual spasms right then.

Whne this happens i have hard pain, and the food gets stuck in my esophagus, almost backs sup, and feels like I will about to aspirate because i can not swallow again, then thick phlegm collects in the back of my throat . I try to take ttiny sips of water to help it down, but that makes it thurt more.

If anyone has esophegeal spasm , does this sound like it?
Short of going throu gh test, that i probly would not do, are there helpful treatmennt?
thanks for any input, amo

[ELT]

I am not diagnosed, and so I don't know what my throat is doing, but, it never used to do it, until sometime during my body experimenting with new movements, sensations, abilities, etc, LOL.  

I don't have pain, or phlegm, but, I do aspirate my own saliva lots, and othe liquids.  Sometimes when I'm about to swallow something, food, pills, whatever, they get partway down, then, my throat seems to forget it's in mid chore.  It takes me stretching up my neck, chin tucked though, and a lot of false starts before it remembers what it's doing.  

Annoying as heck, scariest when it wakes me up in the night.  I don't know if that's a spasm it's having, or what.  But, I know some people have painful muscle spasms, some have no pain with their spasms.  

Good luck with that.

Erica

[Nerve_Wrecked]

There are muscle relaxants for soft tissue spasms (like esophageal, stomach, etc). One of them up here in Canada, is called Buscopan. I BELIEVE in the US it's called Bella Dona, but I'm not sure.

I have had swallowing problems, but am undx, and we don't know if they were spasms, or maybe even sensory, we're not sure.

Personally, I did feel food and pills getting very stuck, but I didn't have pain, or the other stuff you described, just much much discomfort. Again, we don't know what causes my swalloing difficulties, so I'm not much to go on, sorry.

I know the barium swallow indicated an esophageal web, but the scope was perfectly normal.

And my swalloing issues seem to stay at bay as long as I stay on my Neurontin. When I go off, they kick back up (which is why I am wondering if it could be sensory).

Sorry I'm not much help. But I did want to let you know there are meds specifically for soft tissue spasms.

Christine

[CtResident]

A couple of years ago, I would have bread-y type foods and pills get stuck. I'd start gagging and hacking like a cat with a fur ball. Well, I don't have any cats, so don't quote me on that. :-)

I went to a gastric dr. and they stretched my esophagus. It did work for a while.

Now I notice when I am nervous (like calling for new dr.referrals!) my throat gets dry and constricted. I swallow and nothing happens, I just hope I can speak by the time someone answers the phone! So far I haven't been rendered speechless!

I'm not sure of what products that are out there that might be less evasive than seeing the gastric guy; hope you feel better soon.

Suzanne

[AMO]

thanks galss,

my doc has not say it is spasms, but i think it reads like it.

erica, i do too choke  on my saliva. hate that.
christine, i willl ask next appt about if meds would be useful,
and suzanne, i am going to hope to avoid a gastro i have stretchs things, but never my esophagus LOL

I have been through alot of speech therapy and learned safe swallowing , but the 'spasm' is after the swallow
yeah,,, more referals more tests! amo

[essdipity]

Swallowing difficulties are well-documented in MS. Many members here have reported it. It's something that you should consult your doctor about, as there is an array of meds for it.

ess

[CtResident]

There are meds for this?!!

Another grrr for a big $$ bill and post-anesthesia ickiness, as well as my dh taking a day from work to tend to me, etc.

!!!

And I'm sorry, it doesn't matter now, but I must correct my error above. I meant to say "less INVASIVE" not evasive.

Hate when that happens. I pride myself on a post with no errors and today I've made many. Human and all that.

Suzanne
(who once spelled her name with 3 n's!)

[jensequitur]

I have esophageal spasms often - they're triggered by acid reflux from a weak valve at the top of the stomach.  My throat cramps up, and I get this horrible pain right at the solar plexus - feels like what I imagine a heart attack to be.  So far, luckily, I haven't had any real problems swallowing.  My throat locks up, and I have to think it into relaxing, but it usually works.

The way I deal with the throat cramp is to drink a glass of warm water, slowly.  I'm trying to make the throat relax, just like stretching out a muscle.  The throat lock is a bit more difficult - I distract myself by thinking about other things, and let it take care of itself.

[AMO]

hi,

thank ess, yeah I have my dcotors know for sure. I have wondered what other do about it. My lyarnoscopy showed my vocal fold have problems too, I know they will want more testss, but hopefully I can convince thhem with just my sx's they may be willing to treat.

jen, can you tell me what the acid reflux part feeels like? I do not get heart burn. Do you always have to have heart burn with it? Is your solar plexus mid chest? I feel this higher more in neck/throat.... but maybe it is defered higher? hum.
I like the warm water idea, I will try!

NOw Suzanne,  HA! I would never have caught you mis'take! LOL (I just pretend there are n't any , maybe no one saw! LOL)

thanks all, amo

[CtResident]

For me, the reflux was the sourness that came up after a meal.

One time many years ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with the feeling that I had a stack of books on my chest (okay, some people say elephant, but I like to read, get to pick my own description, lol).

One week after that, same feeling. Went to dr., didn't know if I was having heart issues.

Come to find out, it was a hiatal hernia! The two days were Christmas and New Years--- I had overeaten! Then when lying down, that brought on the pains.

I don't know where the solar plexus is though.

Suzanne

[PlanoEd]

I don't know if you are still living with the pain you described on 3/6/08, but I thought I'd let you know that I used to have the exact problem-- you described it better than anyone else ever has.

For me, a scope revealed a hardened ring in my lower esophageal that predisposed me to food getting stuck / pain / spams.  They fix it by dialating that portion of the esophageal (thereby fracturing the ring).  100% better after that, but, if you're like me, expect to need a repeat every 3-5 years.

[terri032345]

Today being July 6,2010, I had an Esophogeal Manometry done. This is where a tube is placed into the nose and down the throat. I then, am told no to swallow until I'm told to while swallowing a small amount of water. Test results were that my throat is having many spazms while swallowing. My biggest symptom is my throat locks with no warning.(Very frightening) I'm told my test showed very abnormal. The Dr. was arrogant and had no empathy. So I will see my other Dr. for the prognosis. I hope to hear from others. I am 65 years old and retired.

[Quixotic1]

Hi, Terri, I'm sorry you are having such frightening problems.  I, also, have had my esophagus spasm completely shut and it is very painful.

The treatment of your problem will probably be a combination of meds to relax the esophagus and work with a Speech and Language Therapist.  that sounds funny, but they are the therapists trained in problems with swallowing and such things.

Do you have Multiple Sclerosis?  You posted on an MS forum.  If so, I invite you to join us.  We have many women of your age on the forum.  If not, I hope this information helped.

Yes, many doctors are horse's patoots when it comes to caring.  I hope your other doctor is better mannered and better trained.  He (or she) should send you to the Speech Therapist for evaluation of what will help you most with your spasms.  You should ask to see a different ENT or GI specialist for medical treatment.  No one deserves to be dismissed like you were.

Good Luck,

Quix