Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Achalasia secondary prevention
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Many of the causes of achalasia are not preventable. However, treatment of the disorder may help to prevent complications.
Secondary Prevention
Secondary Prevention
Lifestyle changes
- Achalasia patients need to eat slowly, chew very well, drink plenty of water with meals, and avoid eating near bedtime.
- It is helpful to sleep with the head elevated by raising the head of the bed or using a wedge pillow.
- Proton pump inhibitors may help prevent reflux damage after surgery by inhibiting gastric acid secretion. [1]
- Foods that can aggravate reflux, including ketchup and other tomato products, citrus fruits, chocolate, mint, alcohol, and caffeine, should also be avoided.
Follow-up monitoring
- Even after successful treatment of achalasia, swallowing may still deteriorate over time. [1]
- It’s important to check every year or two with a timed barium swallow because some may need pneumatic dilations, a repeat myotomy, or even esophagectomy after many years.
- Some doctors recommend pH testing and endoscopy to check for reflux damage, which may lead to a stricture or cancer of the esophagus if untreated.
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gockel I, Müller M, Schumacher J (2012). “Achalasia–a disease of unknown cause that is often diagnosed too late”. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 109 (12): 209–14. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2012.0209. PMC 3329145. PMID 22532812.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1], Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Younes M.B.B.CH [2]