Aug 10th, 2021 - Overview What are esophageal disorders? Esophageal disorders are a collection of conditions that affect how the esophagus works. Your esophagus — or the food pipe — is the part of the digestive system that helps food travel from your mouth to your stomach. Different diseases can affect the esophagus, causing dysphagia or difficulty swallowing. The most common esophageal disorder is gastrointest...

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...

May 21st, 2021 - Overview What is vocal cord dysfunction (VCD)? Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is when your vocal cords (vocal folds) close when they’re supposed to be open. Opening them is outside of your control and, because of that, you may have trouble breathing. VCD is also called inducible laryngeal obstruction, paradoxical vocal cord movement (PVFM) and laryngeal dysfunction. Your vocal folds (cords) are i...

May 18th, 2021 - Overview What is hoarseness (dysphonia)? Hoarseness (dysphonia) is when your voice sounds raspy, strained or breathy. The volume (how loud or soft you speak) may be different and so may the pitch (how high or low your voice sounds). There are many causes of hoarseness but, fortunately, most are not serious and tend to go away after a short time. How does the voice work? You can speak thanks to ...

Mar 13th, 2021 - Diagnosis Asthma can be hard to diagnose. Your child's doctor will consider the symptoms and their frequency and your child's medical history. Your child might need tests to rule out other conditions and to identify the most likely cause of the symptoms. A number of childhood conditions can have symptoms similar to those caused by asthma. To complicate the issue further, these conditions also c...

Feb 23rd, 2021 - Hiatal hernia care at Mayo Clinic Your Mayo Clinic care team Mayo Clinic's hiatal hernia care team includes doctors trained in digestive diseases (gastroenterologists) and imaging (radiologists). In some cases, abdominal surgeons and chest (thoracic) surgeons are also involved. The Esophageal Clinic often participates in care for people with hiatal hernias. These specialists work together to pr...

Feb 23rd, 2021 - Overview Hiatal hernia Open pop-up dialog box Close Hiatal hernia Hiatal hernia A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of your stomach bulges through your diaphragm into your chest cavity. A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of your stomach bulges through the large muscle separating your abdomen and chest (diaphragm). Your diaphragm has a small opening (hiatus) through which your foo...

Feb 23rd, 2021 - Diagnosis Endoscopy Open pop-up dialog box Close Endoscopy Endoscopy An endoscopy procedure involves inserting a long, flexible tube (endoscope) down your throat and into your esophagus. A tiny camera on the end of the endoscope lets your doctor examine your esophagus, stomach and the beginning of your small intestine (duodenum). A hiatal hernia is often discovered during a test or procedure to...

Feb 23rd, 2021 - Diagnosis Endoscopy Open pop-up dialog box Close Endoscopy Endoscopy An endoscopy procedure involves inserting a long, flexible tube (endoscope) down your throat and into your esophagus. A tiny camera on the end of the endoscope lets your doctor examine your esophagus, stomach and the beginning of your small intestine (duodenum). Eosinophilic esophagitis Open pop-up dialog box Close Eosinophili...

Feb 23rd, 2021 - Esophagitis care at Mayo Clinic Your Mayo Clinic care team Mayo Clinic doctors from a number of specialties diagnose and treat esophagitis. Doctors trained in digestive diseases, allergies, and heart surgery work together as a team to provide coordinated, comprehensive care for people who have esophagitis. Virtually every test and treatment for esophagitis is available in one convenient locatio...

Jan 29th, 2021 - Overview What is heartburn? Heartburn is when you have a burning feeling in your chest. The uncomfortable sensation can move up your throat. You may also have a bitter or sour taste in the back of your throat. Though it’s called “heartburn,” it’s not related to your heart. It happens because of acid reflux, which occurs when stomach acid moves from your stomach up to your esophagus. The esophag...

Dec 17th, 2020 - Overview How infant reflux occurs Open pop-up dialog box Close How infant reflux occurs How infant reflux occurs If the muscle between the esophagus and the stomach (lower esophageal sphincter) relaxes when the stomach is full, food might flow up the baby's esophagus. Infant reflux, when a baby spits up, occurs when food moves back up from a baby's stomach. Reflux occurs in healthy infants mult...

Dec 17th, 2020 - Diagnosis Your doctor will start with a physical exam and questions about your baby's symptoms. If your baby is healthy, growing as expected and seems content, then testing usually isn't needed. In some cases, however, your doctor might recommend: Ultrasound. This imaging test can detect pyloric stenosis. Lab tests. Blood and urine tests can help identify or rule out possible causes of recurrin...

Dec 15th, 2020 - Overview Cough into your arm to avoid spreading any germs. What is chronic cough? Chronic cough is usually defined as a cough that lasts more than eight weeks in adults and four weeks in children. Chronic cough is one of the most frequent reasons for visits to the doctor. Chronic cough isn't a disease itself. It's a health problem that results from other health conditions. What causes coughing?...

Dec 7th, 2020 - Overview What is prune belly syndrome? Prune belly syndrome is a rare condition that is present at birth. Prune belly syndrome has three main features: Your baby’s abdominal muscles are weak or absent. As a result, the skin on your baby’s belly is wrinkled like a prune. Your baby boy’s testicles fail to drop from inside his body into his scrotum (the delicate sack of skin under the penis). Ther...

Dec 4th, 2020 - Overview What is megaureter? The urinary system is made up of two kidneys, which filter out wastes and extra water from the blood to make urine. Urine flows out of the kidneys and into the bladder through two narrow tubes called ureters. In most cases, the ureters are normally about 1/4-inch wide. Megaureter (or “large ureter”) occurs when a ureter is larger than 3/8-inch wide. Megaureters are ...

Nov 27th, 2020 - Overview What is an esophageal stricture? An esophageal stricture is an abnormal tightening or narrowing of the esophagus. Your esophagus is a muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach, carrying food and liquid. A stricture narrows the esophagus, making it more difficult for food to travel down the tube. In severe cases, even drinking liquid can be difficult. Esophageal strictures c...

Oct 23rd, 2020 - Diagnosis Endoscopy Open pop-up dialog box Close Endoscopy Endoscopy An endoscopy procedure involves inserting a long, flexible tube (endoscope) down your throat and into your esophagus. A tiny camera on the end of the endoscope lets your doctor examine your esophagus, stomach and the beginning of your small intestine (duodenum). Your doctor might recommend: Esophageal manometry. This test meas...

Oct 21st, 2020 - 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...

Oct 21st, 2020 - 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...