Achalasia: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate achalasia:

Leading symptoms

  • Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).
    • Caused by muscular or neuromuscular changes in the esophagus (food pipe)
    • Both the absorption of solid foods and liquids is difficult.
    • Often, sufferers need to drink after eating.
  • Retrosternal feeling of pressure / fullness (localized behind the sternum).
  • Regurgitation (regurgitation of food), even at night while lying down (active and later passive regurgitations)

Secondary symptoms

  • Aspiration (inhalation of undigested food).
  • Chest spasms
  • Emesis (vomiting)
  • Halitosis (bad breath)
  • Hypermotile form (stage I): cramping pain.
  • Pyrosis (heartburn)
  • Thoracic pain (chest pain)
  • Weight loss (late phase)