The esophagus is the muscular tube that connects your throat to your stomach. Achalasia is an uncommon condition in which the esophagus is unable to move food and sometimes liquids into the stomach. When people have this condition, a valve located at the end of the stomach — the lower esophageal sphincter — stays closed during swallowing, causing food to back up.
The diagnosis of achalasia can be a difficult one, mostly because it can be tricky for doctors to tell the difference between achalasia and acid reflux — a much more common condition, says Siva Raja, MD, PhD, thoracic surgeon in Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Thoracic Surgery in the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute.
In this video, Dr. Raja explains what achalasia is and the medical tests that are commonly used to diagnose the condition. He explains: “With these tests, we can reliably confirm the presence of achalasia and lead you to appropriate treatment.”
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