Conditions

Dysphagia & Oesophageal Motility Disorders (e.g. Achalasia)

Difficulty or pain swallowing food, due to a structural narrowing or a motility disorder.

Common symptoms

  • A sensation that food is "sticking" in the throat or chest
  • Needing to swallow repeatedly
  • Pain when swallowing
  • Weight loss

Dysphagia is difficulty or pain when food passes from the throat to the stomach, which can be caused by a structural narrowing or by a disorder of the oesophagus’s muscular motility, such as achalasia.

How we approach it

Assessment combines an endoscopic examination to exclude tumours or strictures, with specialised recording of oesophageal pressures (manometry), to accurately document the cause and plan the appropriate treatment.

This information is for general guidance and does not replace personalised medical advice.