The vast majority of us don’t pay much attention to our throat and esophagus unless an issue develops that leads to uncomfortable symptoms. However, once it becomes harder to swallow or you’re experiencing chronic heartburn, we quickly realize how important it is to take some steps to improve the health of our esophagus.
If you’re dealing with uncomfortable symptoms in your esophagus, odds are a gastrointestinal specialist will be able to help treat the issue. Dr. Bhatti and his team specialize in treating a wide variety of esophageal issues. Below, we explore five esophageal issues that his team can help treat.
Treating Common Esophagus Issues
Dr. Bhatti and his team specialize in treating a number of different conditions that affect the esophagus. Here’s a look at five conditions he regularly treats.
- Esophageal Strictures – Esophageal strictures refer to a condition in which your esophageal canal begins to narrow, which can make it harder for you to pass food through to your stomach. Not only can this make swallowing uncomfortable, it can also be dangerous if you can’t safely pass food. One way that Dr. Bhatti and his team can help treat an esophageal stricture is with a dilation procedure.
- Barrett’s Esophagus – Barrett’s esophagus develops when the lining of your esophagus has been damaged and replaced by scar tissue that more closely resembles tissue found in your intestines. Oftentimes it develops as a result of untreated acid reflux, as stomach acid can damage the sensitive lining of your esophagus. Barrett’s esophagus can be uncomfortable, and it can also increase your risk of esophageal cancer, so treatment and monitoring are recommended.
- Achalasia – Achalasia is a condition characterized by a failure of the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle at the bottom of the esophagus, to relax properly, making it difficult for food to pass through. Symptoms of achalasia include difficulty swallowing, chest pain, and regurgitation of food. Dilation and surgery are common techniques used to treat achalasia.
- Esophageal Cancer – Dr. Bhatti and his team can also work to treat cancer that develops within your esophageal tissue. You may be surprised to learn that esophageal cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world, and it more commonly affects people with untreated acid reflux and smokers, but you don’t need to fall into either of those categories to develop esophageal cancer. Treatment will involve killing or excising the cancerous cells.
- Dysphagia – Dysphagia is another esophageal issue that Dr. Bhatti and his team have a wealth of experience treating, and it involves the inability to swallow comfortably. Difficulty swallowing can be caused by a number of issues, which is why it’s so important to connect with a gastrointestinal specialist who can get to the bottom of your discomfort. Your swallowing issue could be tied to an esophageal stricture or a neuromuscular issue affecting the muscles that control the swallowing mechanism. We’ll figure out what’s going on and help develop an individualized treatment tailored to your needs.
If you’re dealing with any of the above esophagus issues, or you just want to talk to a gastrointestinal specialist about another GI issue that you’re experiencing, reach out to Dr. Bhatti and the team at Bhatti GI Consultants today at (651) 430-3800.
