Apr 19th, 2022 - Overview Esophagus Open pop-up dialog box Close Esophagus Esophagus The esophagus is a muscular tube that connects your mouth and your stomach. Rings of muscle (sphincters) in the upper and lower portions contract and relax to allow food and liquid to pass. Esophageal cancer Open pop-up dialog box Close Esophageal cancer Esophageal cancer Esophageal cancer most often occurs in the cells that li...

Apr 4th, 2022 - Overview What is noncardiac chest pain? Noncardiac chest pain is defined as recurring pain in your chest — typically, behind your breast bone and near your heart — that is not related to your heart. In most people, noncardiac chest pain is actually related to a problem with their esophagus, most often gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Stress, anxiety and depression can also manifest as ch...

Mar 5th, 2022 - Overview Barrett's esophagus Open pop-up dialog box Close Barrett's esophagus Barrett's esophagus In Barrett's esophagus, normally flat, pink cells are replaced with a thick, red lining with potential for cancerous changes, thought to be triggered by long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Barrett's esophagus is a condition in which the flat pink lining of the swallowing tube that...

Mar 5th, 2022 - Overview Achalasia is a rare disorder that makes it difficult for food and liquid to pass from the swallowing tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus) into your stomach. Achalasia occurs when nerves in the esophagus become damaged. As a result, the esophagus becomes paralyzed and dilated over time and eventually loses the ability to squeeze food down into the stomach. Food then collec...

Mar 5th, 2022 - Diagnosis Endoscopy is generally used to determine if you have Barrett's esophagus. A lighted tube with a camera at the end (endoscope) is passed down your throat to check for signs of changing esophagus tissue. Normal esophagus tissue appears pale and glossy. In Barrett's esophagus, the tissue appears red and velvety. Your doctor will remove tissue (biopsy) from your esophagus. The biopsied ti...

Mar 5th, 2022 - Overview Achalasia is a rare disorder that makes it difficult for food and liquid to pass from the swallowing tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus) into your stomach. Achalasia occurs when nerves in the esophagus become damaged. As a result, the esophagus becomes paralyzed and dilated over time and eventually loses the ability to squeeze food down into the stomach. Food then collec...

Mar 5th, 2022 - Diagnosis Achalasia can be overlooked or misdiagnosed because it has symptoms similar to other digestive disorders. To test for achalasia, your doctor is likely to recommend: Esophageal manometry. This test measures the rhythmic muscle contractions in your esophagus when you swallow, the coordination and force exerted by the esophagus muscles, and how well your lower esophageal sphincter relaxe...

Mar 5th, 2022 - Achalasia care at Mayo Clinic Your Mayo Clinic care team Mayo Clinic's achalasia team includes doctors trained in digestive disorders (gastroenterologists). Specialists in the Esophageal Clinic are frequently involved in care. Having all of this expertise in a single place, focused on you, means that you're not just getting one opinion — care is discussed among the team, appointments are schedu...

Feb 11th, 2022 - Overview Female urinary system Open pop-up dialog box Close Female urinary system Female urinary system Your urinary system — which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — is responsible for removing waste from your body through urine. Your kidneys, located toward the back in your upper abdomen, produce urine by filtering waste and fluid from your blood. That urine then travels thr...

Feb 11th, 2022 - Overview Bladder exstrophy in a female infant Open pop-up dialog box Close Bladder exstrophy in a female infant Bladder exstrophy in a female infant In girls born with bladder exstrophy, the bladder is on the outside of the body and the vagina is not fully formed. Surgeons will close the bladder (top right) and then close the abdomen and skin (bottom right). Bladder exstrophy in a male infant O...

Feb 11th, 2022 - Diagnosis A urine test can reveal whether your child has a UTI. Other tests may be necessary, including: Kidney and bladder ultrasound. This imaging method uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the kidney and bladder. Ultrasound can detect structural abnormalities. This same technology, often used during pregnancy to monitor fetal development, may also reveal swollen kidneys in t...

Feb 11th, 2022 - Hydronephrosis Hydronephrosis Open pop-up dialog box Close Hydronephrosis Hydronephrosis Hydronephrosis occurs when a kidney has an excess of fluid due to a backup of urine, often caused by an obstruction in the upper part of the urinary tract. Kidney swelling can result, causing the part of the kidney called the renal pelvis to bulge (distend), leading to possible kidney scarring and impaired ...

Feb 11th, 2022 - Vesicoureteral reflux care at Mayo Clinic Note: Items within this content were created prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and do not demonstrate proper pandemic protocols. Please follow all recommended Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for masking and social distancing. At Mayo Clinic, vesicoureteral reflux care encompasses: A team approach, tailored t...

Jan 10th, 2022 - Overview You're more likely to have FD if you have these risk factors. What is functional dyspepsia? Dyspepsia is another word for indigestion. People with chronic indigestion often report feelings of stomach pain, over-fullness and bloating during and after eating. Other common symptoms include acid reflux, heartburn and excessive burping. These symptoms resemble peptic ulcer disease, but when...

Jan 6th, 2022 - Overview Bile reflux Open pop-up dialog box Close Bile reflux Bile reflux Bile is a digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. During bile reflux, digestive fluid backs up into the stomach and, in some cases, the esophagus. Bile reflux occurs when bile — a digestive liquid produced in your liver — backs up (refluxes) into your stomach and, in some cases, into the tube ...

Jan 6th, 2022 - Diagnosis A description of your symptoms and knowledge of your medical history is usually enough for your doctor to diagnose a reflux problem. But distinguishing between acid reflux and bile reflux is difficult and requires further testing. You're also likely to have tests to check for damage to your esophagus and stomach, as well as for precancerous changes. Tests may include: Endoscopy. A thi...

Jan 3rd, 2022 - Overview What is intestinal metaplasia? Intestinal metaplasia is a transformation of the cells in the lining of your upper digestive tract, often the stomach or the esophagus (food pipe). It’s called “intestinal” metaplasia because the cells change to become more like those that line the intestines. When doctors find intestinal metaplasia, it looks like the mucosal lining of your esophagus or s...

Nov 18th, 2021 - Overview Bile refluxes from the small intestine into the stomach and esophagus. What is bile reflux? Bile reflux occurs when the bile that’s released into your small intestine to help digest food washes back into your stomach, and sometimes into your esophagus. Normally, everything involved in the digestive process should only flow one way ⁠— down. As food progresses along the digestive tract, ...

Oct 21st, 2021 - Overview What is Aicardi syndrome? Aicardi syndrome is a rare disorder that’s present at birth (congenital). It causes malformations in the brain, eyes and other parts of the body. It leads to lifelong difficulties, including intellectual disabilities and developmental delay. How rare is it? Aicardi syndrome occurs in 1 out of every 100,000 live births. There are approximately 1,000 cases in th...

Jun 1st, 2020 - Millions of people turn to prescription and over-the-counter medications to cope with heartburn from gastroesophageal reflux disease or other stomach conditions. But navigating the risks of heartburn remedies can leave a sour taste in your mouth, since some have been tied to health concerns. Here's what you need to know about two mainstays of treatment, and how the latest developments may affec...