Are there different types of achalasia?
Achalasia can very rarely occur from other disease states (such as cancer), when it is known as secondary achalasia or pseudoachalasia. However, by far the commonest type is primary achalasia which implies that the disease originates in the esophagus itself. This is the type that is commonly implied when the term achalasia is used without qualification. Another common adjective used for this kind of achalasia is “idiopathic” which means that we do not know what causes this disorder. Finally, primary achalasia can also be classified as “classic” (in which there is virtually no contraction seen in the body of the esophagus) or “vigorous” (in which there is activity in the body of the esophagus but this is largely ineffective “spasm” rather than true coordinated pump-like activity or peristalsis).
