Achalasla is a disorder that affects the part of the body that moves food from your mouth to you   stomach  (esophagus). This disorder makes it difficult for your esophagus to move liquids  and  food   into   your   stomach . This makes it harder for you to swallow. Achalasia affects the muscle between your  esophagus  and your stomach (lower esophageal sphincter ,LES). Normally, this  muscle  relax  after   you  swallow  With       a      chalasia,    it    does  not  relax, and there is   increased pressure in this area.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include:

Difficulty swallowing or pain withswallowing.

• Food moving up from your stomach to your mouth (regurgitation).

• Weightloss.

• Coughing or wheezing.

• Heartburn.

• Difficulty burping.

• Vomiting.

• Bad breath(halitosis).

• Chestpain.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition may be diagnosed based on:

• Tests, such as:

X-rays.

Barium swallow study. In this test, X-rays are taken of your esophagus after you swallow a white liquid (bnrium) that shows up well on X-rays.

Endoscopy. In this test, your health care provider looks at your esophagus using a small, flexible tube that has a video camera at the end (endoscope).

Esophageal manometry. This test checks to see if increased pressure is affecting your LES.

How is this treated?

There is no cure for this condition, but treatment can help to manage your symptoms. Treatment may include:

• Medicines.

• Stretching orwidening (dilating) your LES. This is done with a nendo scopy proced ure that involves using a balloon to stretch out the lower esophagus.

• A novel endoscopic procedure – POEM( Per oral endoscopic myotomy) can reduce pressure in LES without need for skin incision

• Laproc scopic Surgery toreduce  pressure in your LES.

• An injection  of a muscle-relaxing medicine (botulinum toxin) in to the LES.