What Diseases Cause Dysphagia?
Several diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and scleroderma, cause dysphagia, a condition that causes a person to have difficulty swallowing. Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis also sometimes cause dysphagia. While some people with dysphagia find swallowing to be painful, others may not be able to swallow at all. There are two main types of dysphagia. When someone has esophageal dysphagia, it may feel as though food or liquid gets stuck in his esophagus. Tumors in the esophagus can cause dysphagia, as can age-related weakening of the esophageal muscle. Other causes of esophageal dysphagia include diffuse spasm and achalasia. When someone has diffuse spasms, his esophagus muscles constrict as he tries to swallow, preventing the object from sliding down his throat and into the stomach. Symptoms include a feeling similar to heartburn. Diffuse spasm is a rare disease that sometimes turns into a condition known as achalasia.
