Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : June 14, 2018 2:02 PM IST
This might really shock you as most of you resort to those over-the-counter antacid pills to treat acidity. Most often than not this helps us to a large extent too and once the reflux dies down we are free to hog, breath, jump, sleep, in short, do whatever we want to without submitting ourselves to that awkward sour taste reflux brings up at the back of your neck. But for some people, acid reflux becomes a continuous problem that persists throughout the day and interferes with sleep and other activities. At times, this reflux is not due to acidity or heartburn it might be due to a problem much graver than what it seems Achlasia Cradia, where the oesophagus or the food pipe gets affected and heartburn, acid reflux are merely symptoms of the same.
What is Achalasia Crardia?
Achalasia Crardia is very rare with a ratio of 1/ 100000 people being affected by the same. In this condition, the lower oesophageal sphincter or LES the muscular ring that closes the oesophagus from the stomach once food goes into the stomach fails to function. As a result, the food instead of reaching the stomach back up in the oesophagus and leads to mucous reflex accompanied by heartburn and chest pain.
What causes achalasia is not known entirely to the experts but the probable causes documented are hereditary or an outcome of an autoimmune condition where the degeneration of nerves in the oesophagus leads to this condition. It usually affects middle-aged and older people but can be seen in children too.
What are the symptoms?
Since food gets stuck in the oesophagus it leads to
Living with the condition
A 60 year old lady had Achalasia Cradia who would sleep every day at 45-degree angle to avoid reflux and sometimes on a chair in sitting position. Mrs Sant, who is a special educator at Pune, consulted a local surgeon at Pune with complaints of food and mucus reflux and difficulty in swallowing. She was not able to lie down at all. In fact, lying down made the condition worst. She was sleeping everyday at 45 degree angle to avoid reflux; sometimes she slept on a chair in the sitting position to avoid reflux. Initially her condition was misdiagnosed as acidity. She received no relief with any medication.
How is it treated?
Diagnosing this condition is again a challenge for doctors as it isn't a cause and effect illness. In fact, it takes physician a lot of experience and examination to perform to come to the conclusion. However, Mrs Sant was referred to Dr Roy Patankar, Zen hospital. After confirming the diagnosis, Dr Roy Patankar suggested laparoscopic surgery in which pressure on the LES was released to avoid food piling up in the food pipe and reflux to mouth. She underwent endoscopy, manometry (measuring pressure in food pipe and Barium FT) to complete her diagnosis which helped the doctors to treat her with the right kind of treatment.
Dr Roy Patankar, Director & Gastroenterologist Zen Multispecialty Hospital, says, 'Diagnosis is achieved by doing Barium X-ray of the oesophagus (Special dye is given to the patient to swallow and an x-ray is done) and endoscopy. After an x-ray, the pressure of food pipe is measured by doing a test called manometry. The oesophageal motility disorder is where muscles of the oesophagus are not able to move food down through oesophagus. Usually people complaints of difficulty in swallowing, regurgitation and sometimes chest pain,' says Dr Patankar.
Post surgery she was completely relieved of symptoms and also was able to lie down in the supine position after many years. After the surgery, Mrs Sant was able to eat everything. Mrs Sant says, 'It was very difficult to stay sleepless and continuous refluxing food and mucus in the mouth. I m really happy post treatment I am able to sleep and back to work regularly.'
Image source: Shutterstock (Picture for represntational purpose only)
