What is Esophageal Achalasia?

4. Symptoms of Esophageal Achalasia

The symptoms of esophageal achalasia usually develop slowly over time and can range from mild to severe. They include dysphagia, or difficulty starting to swallow and the feeling that food is getting stuck in the chest, heartburn, dry eyes and mouth, regurgitation due to the retention of ingested food and saliva in the esophagus, and chest pain. Those with the disorder often cough at night due to contents of the esophagus being pushed into the lungs while breathing, which can also lead to pneumonia and other respiratory afflictions. In combination with these symptoms, weight loss can also indicate esophageal achalasia.